by Stephen Flanagan Jackson

Sleek horses, sexy women, and plenty of booze. What more could you want for a good time in Nicaragua? Oh yeah, throw a little religion into the mix as well.
The formula for Hípica a la Nica is tried and true. Hípica has evolved into a knock-down, drag-out fiesta celebrated in various cities and towns at various times throughout Nicaragua. If you are fortunate enough to catch a Hípica display, you experience the same excitement and exhilaration as the running of the bulls, the famous festival at Pamplona in Spain, only without the threat of goring and bloodletting.For the purist horseman – or horsewoman – the Hípica is true to its meaning and is all about the horses and their riders.
“This is a classic exhibition of fine horses and excellent riders,” says Octavio Lacayo, one of Hípica’s proponents and one of its most well known horsemen. Lacayo is the general manager of the Hertz Rent-a-Car franchise in Managua and stables a wide array of bloodstock at his ranch near Diriamba.
Hípica has a long and storied history, dating back to the days of Caesar and the Roman Empire. The equestrian theme has been picked up in Nicaragua over the last 40 or 50 years and integrated into the existing religious theme until the end result is a bash which has developed into an integral part of the culture and folklore of the country.
Lacayo climbs up in the saddle astride one of his stallions as he prepares to practice for an upcoming Hípica. He tells me that his uncle deserves a lot of the credit for adding the horses and riders to the traditional Saint Day parades in Jinotepe in 1953 and then in Diriamba in 1954. The horse attraction caught on. Other cities and towns added the Hípica feature to their particular saint’s fiesta and almost overnight the concept was adopted all over the country.
“Hípicas are actually the riders… the caballistas,” says Lacayo tugging at the reins to show his horse who is the boss.
“Nicaragua has no horse racing, no rodeos, no other horse competition,” says Lacayo. “ So the Hípicas provide the opportunity for people to see horses and for the horsemen to exhibit their horses. It is not a competition but a diversion… for pride and for fun.”
Lacayo is one of the pioneers of the modern-day Hípica in Nicaragua. He has been participating in them since he was nine years old and his uncle and cousins helped launch some of the early Hípicas.
Lacayo recounts how just about every city and village in Nicaragua has a special day for its patron saint. This is marked by a fiesta and a procession. At first people just walked in the procession. Then they started riding their horses – all types and qualities –and the processions transformed into parades. Finally, in 1953, this evolved into the Hípicas and it was official.
“From what I know, the first Hípicas were in Jinotepe and in Diriamba,” says Lacayo. “Now, just about every city and town in Nicaragua features one. Hípicas are now part of the culture and folklore of Nicaragua… and not only for the participants. Hípicas attract a lot of people, a lot of spectators.”
“There are about 50 or so Hípicas every year all over Nicaragua,” says Lacayo. “I participate in about 30 of them. I do not always use the same horse, so I’ve got to have several trained and prepared.”
It’s the horsemanship that motivates Lacayo and most of the riders. Although, Lacayo points out, some riders are not organized or prepared. Some breeds of horses can behave and some cannot. Horse riding can be dangerous if you are not careful.
“To me and most of the riders and also for most of the fans or spectators, the Hípica is all about the horses. The horse is not a machine. The horse is a creature that feels… that gets tired. The rider should not abuse the horse with his legs or a whip. Horsemanship is an art,” says Lacayo.
“Even if you do not know anything about horses, if a good looking, majestic animal trots by you in a parade, you cannot help but look and admire. With years of experience, you learn to ride in a Hípica,” says this broad-shouldered man with a large torso and big hands.
Lacayo adds that beyond the Hípicas, horses are also an important industry to Nicaragua. “Horse breeders are important to Nicaragua,” he says, “not just for the Hípicas but for the cattle industry, for carriages and for other businesses that revolve around horses such as saddle and riding equipment sales, the veterinarians, the blacksmiths, the feed stores. All this is important.”
”Don’t forget, by training and breeding horses, we improve the entire stock of horses in Nicaragua. Horses are used for more than Hípicas: horses for working in several ways including working with cattle, pulling wagons and carts, and various other ways,” Lacayo explains. ”Nicaragua needs strong horses.”
“Not the dog, but the horse,” emphasizes Lacayo, ”is man’s best friend.”
”All countries have used horses in their development and even now a horse is a great companion and serves you,” he says. ”And in this day and age with the price of gasoline, horses are and will be in more demand in Nicaragua for work and short haul transportation.”
Lacayo is also quick to point out that the Hípicas and horsemanship are not just for men. “Actually, women treat horses better than men do,” he says. “Women handle horses with more gentleness and love.”
There is bound to be a Hípica near you in Nicaragua at most anytime of the year. You do not need a horse yourself to enjoy this display of horsemanship and all the raucous activities and delicious food and drink surrounding the parade.