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Text and images by Michael Huggan - All rights reserved.

During the autumn of 2004 my wife and I traveled to the Camargue, southern France. One of my photographic loves is horses and for many years I photographed equestrian events from local riding clubs to polo matches. As we were in Camargue country I wondered how best to see these horses, or perhaps see a local event with the ‘Camarguaise’ in action. What a surprise I had coming. By pure accident we had arrived in time to see a local festival that included a competition between two teams of horses and riders demonstrating their control in marshalling the playful bulls. Rising early on Saturday morning, and after a good breakfast, we set off for the festival.

On arrival at the village we made our way to the common where there was a hive of activity with people and horses milling around everywhere. Trucks and trailers conveying horses and riders trundled along the bumpy tracks from nearby villages. I was impatient to know what the format was and with the help of my wife’s French language skills the event was described as follows: The festival was split up into two distinct activities. The morning’s session was named ‘Abrivado’ and the afternoon session, ‘Bandido’. The meaning of ‘Abrivado’ is the arrival of the bulls from the fields to the arena, and ‘Bandido’ is the return from the arena to the fields. The morning’s activities comprised of a number of horses and riders moving one bull from one location to another. The riders are known as ‘gardians’. Each of the locations was identified by a cattle truck; the first truck held four bulls and the second truck ready to receive the bulls. Moving the bull has to be conducted in a disciplined and controlled manner by the mounted gardians, at walking pace, controlling the bull. The afternoon’s activities were to be conducted at a faster pace. So, armed with some idea of what was coming, I tried to find a good location to take my pictures.

Activities at the festival included a local brass band dressed in full regalia proudly displaying their brass instruments tuning up and producing varied sounds. The focal point of the Abrivado was a gathering on the far side of the common where a number of riders were getting their mounts ready. The doors of the truck opened and one of the bulls rushed down the ramp with the riders quickly gathering around and corralling the bull down the track, across the common in the general direction of the other truck.

As the bull was delivered into the waiting truck the crowd cheered, the band played and the spectators celebrated with much kissing and hugging as only the French can. This event was starting to look like fun!

The activity was repeated several times by both teams. The bull was contained in a tight ring of horses and riders with the group proceeding at walking pace. During the transition, a number of young men tried to interfere with the riders, pulling on the horse’s reins and waving their arms. Apparently, this was a ploy by members from the other team to try and disrupt the riders and make them lose control. I took a few pictures, but there was nothing of any significance, or drama. It was now midday and several hours were set aside for that wonderful event ‘a French lunch’. Off we went to the village centre for the compulsory eating, drinking and general merry making and the band played on.

The town square was the centre point for the festival and to one side was an open kitchen with a dish full of bubbling Paella. The dish was the biggest I have seen and must have been in well excess of one metre in diameter. In charge of cooking was madam issuing instructions to all around and waving her ladle like a broad sword. Initially reluctant to have her picture taken she was persuaded to pose. This was the melting pot for the whole community. Looking around, everybody was enjoying themselves: babies, children, and adults of all ages were totally engrossed in the activities. We embraced the festivities to the full.

After lunch we assembled back at another part of the common, waiting for the next phase of ‘Bandido’. The set up was the same as the morning with one truck containing the bulls and the second truck waiting to receive the bulls. The afternoon’s scenario was similar to the morning with one bull let out of the truck at a time. However, this time the bull was allowed to run free, at full gallop! Standing on the common I positioned myself at a point between the two trucks so I was near to the route, or so I thought. Waiting with anticipation the doors of the truck opened and out came a bull at full speed! Down the ramp, across the common the bull was followed by horses and riders at full speed. The object is not to slow the bull down, but to run at full speed with the bull in the general direction of the other truck.

I was not prepared for what happened next. The bull was corralled on either side by the horses, but during the run the bull sheared off to the right heading for the spectators on that part of the common. Bearing in mind this is an annual event so the spectators have some idea of what could happen. The spectators quickly parted allowing the bull through followed by the horses. At this point I lost sight of the bull as we were standing near a raised bank some 5-6 metres high. As quickly as the bull disappeared, it reappeared with the horses heading in my direction!

Again, part of the activities included a number of the local young men running out in front of the bull to distract the horses and disrupt the opposing team. This happened during the morning’s activities, but at a slower pace. I could only shake my head in disbelief in seeing a number of men running in front of the bull and horses. I did not see anybody being trampled but there were a few who ‘bounced off’ the horses and fell onto the ground. They all got up and continued, no doubt assisted by the generous intake of beer and wine at lunchtime. With each remaining ‘bull run’ I grew braver and positioned myself directly in front of the advancing group to ‘capture the moment’, notwithstanding the encouraging comments from my wife asking me if my life insurance was up to date! People do not understand what it takes to ‘get the right picture’.

The next one was different. As the bull started off with the horses in pursuit, it dove off to the side again into the crowd, disappearing for a long time. As we were behind a bank it was not possible to see where the bull was. Looking all around, not knowing where the bull would come from, one of the local lads ran up the bank to get a better view. As quickly as he went over the bank, he re-emerged at full speed, just like he was shot from a cannon. In the blink of an eye, the bull followed him over the top of the bank, down into the crowd where we were all gathered. People were running in all directions not knowing which way was safe. The horses did not come over the bank but thundered round the side in pursuit of the bull. The bull was last seen entering the trees with horses and riders in full pursuit. In my mind I have the picture of the lad, followed by the bull coming over the top of the mound, but it was not captured in the camera. I do not think I will make it as a sports photographer.

The day’s activities were coming to an end with the four bulls herded back to the truck from where they started. This part of the activity was different again and a larger number of horses were used to herd all four bulls. The return pace of the bulls and horses was a great deal slower which enabled me to position myself in a good place and get a few pictures. One of my favourites of the day is the line of horses enclosing four bulls walking slowly towards me. All the horses and riders came together to make the picture which I have named ‘The Gardians’.

The activities quickly came to a close, the winning team declared and a final fanfare from the band. I am not sure what the rules were, or how the winning team was chosen, but what a wonderful way to spend a day. I was intrigued to find out more about the Camarguaise and the Abrivado. This activity is more widely known as ‘Course Camarguaise’ a game played with lively bulls that is totally different from bull fighting.

The game is played in the Camargue (the Rhone Delta at the edge of the Mediterranean) and in the areas of Provence and Languedoc. These events take place from May to October. Autumn is the best time to see these events as the crowds are smaller allowing a better view of the activities. The event we saw in Montagnac was a version of the Abrivado. Generally, the activities are conducted in a bull ring where the bulls are let into the ring where a number of young men, and women, compete against each other and the bulls. The participants are known as ‘players’ and the object is to snatch rosettes and ornaments from the horns of the bull as it runs round the ring chasing any body in sight.

About the Author

Michael Huggan lives in England and works as a consultant engineer in the oil and gas industry.  If he is not in Africa Michael is photographing Equestrian and other events wherever his travels take him.  Michael never seems to be satisfied with his work and continually strives for that perfect shot.

More of his work can be seen on his home page at www.michaelhuggan.com

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