The Landes race - Armagnac & d'Artagnan

What do Armagnac, bullfighting arts and d'Artagnan have in common? Well, Panache, that little extra soul that differentiates those who remain in history from those who are forgotten. And here we will focus on these heroes, the spreaders and the jumpers and these heroines, the cows who make this spectacle of Landes racing, a special moment to experience in our arenas in Armagnac and Artgagnan in the heart of Gers.

Ok, but Quèsaco the Landes race?

yes but what does Quésaco 🤨 mean, Gascon word which means: but what is it?

The best thing is to see it in pictures…

Let's go into more detail

The Landes race, a traditional Gascon sport, still remains the main event of village festivals today. This extreme sport, an art with deep roots, inseparable from celebration, the Course Landaise is the codified heir of the bullfighting games practiced since the Middle Ages and recognized by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, is managed by a federation created in 1953. If it is above all a sport it is also an art, because the actors who practice it perform in front of wild beasts, females of the bullfight, figures whose gestures and aesthetics combined with a rare elegance make them a unique show, mixing both emotion and beauty. The Landes race is a two-hour spectacle performed by extraordinary bullfighters whose courage we continue to praise. Practiced by high-level athletes, the Landaise Course, a flagship of Gascony's identity, reveals the Gascon temperament: courage, panache, determination, sense of challenge, resistance to prohibitions...

Here are the actors of the Landes race

The spreader

Placed in the center of the track, the main figure of the spacer consists of deviate the path of the courier(cow) launched at a gallop to pass, aesthetically, as close as possible to the cradle of the horns. The art is to stay on your crossing line and not distance yourself from the cow.
Waiting for the spreader is essential to surprise the animal during their brief meeting point. He throws one leg to the opposite side where he wishes to turn. As soon as the animal bites the lure, the bullfighter rotates a quarter turn to pass the cow through the hollow of its back.

The jumper

Also called “the flying man” of the Landes race, he performs various very spectacular figures above the courses: jump with both feet, angel's jump, somersaults, twisting jumps as many figures that require spectacular relaxation foolproof and a certain mastery in reception.

The rope keeper or tailpiece

At the moment of the meeting point between the cow and the spreader, the tailpiece a slight pull on the rope regulates the animal's head movement, while leaving it the freedom of movement necessary for a successful escape.
His knowledge of men and couriers, his eye, his dexterity allow him to measure “the blow of the string” and to limit, if not avoid, the blows of the horn. Thus the “courdayre” sublimates the gap, reinforces the audacity of the spreader who trusts his skill.

The cow, the queen of the show

In the Landes Race, the cow occupies a special place. Imposing in the center of the track, it is deeply respected and perceived as a noble animal without which this sport – spectacle would not exist.
The “Coursayre” public also knows the names of the heroes of the arena as well as that of the horned stars they face. The most famous: Challengita, Marciacaise, Maroca, Fédérale, Ibañeza, Ibiza, Soltera… Every year, on July 14 in Nogaro, the spectators elect the Golden Horn.

The paseo

Presentation of all the actors of the Landes race to the public to the sound of the Cazérien march. And with a collective greeting, they share their determination and their respect towards the public.

Other key players: musicians 🎷🥁🎺

The bands

The Landes race cannot be imagined without music, the musicians are there to accompany and punctuate this spectacle. What a thrill when she begins the “Cazérien”, an anthem which accompanies all the actors for the paséo (opening and closing march of the Landes race). You will come across some of them in our arenas: the Chicuelina de Nogaro, the Pitchoury Band d'Estang, the Armagnacs d'Eauze..., these bands will not leave you indifferent!

The Landes race explained by the people here!