Tbourida

What it is

Tbourida, also called fantasia¹, is an equestrian performance that goes back to the 16th century and re-enacts a series of military parades according to old Arab-Amazigh conventions². Each performance is given by a troupe made up of an odd number of riders and horses, between 15 and 25³. This troupe is called a sorba, and its leader, the mokaddem, rides in the middle of the line⁴.

For Morocco and its communities, Tbourida is part of cultural identity and collective memory⁵. The riders’ clothing and customs stand for their tribe or region⁶, and each region brings in its own characteristics and crafts⁷.

History

Since the 1990s the state has supported Tbourida through the Royal Moroccan Equestrian Federation and the Société Royale d'Encouragement du Cheval (SOREC): with competitions and prize money, better monitoring and care of the Barb horse and the training of judges⁸. In 2017 Tbourida was entered in the inventory of the cultural heritage of Morocco⁹, and in December 2021, on Morocco’s proposal, on the UNESCO list¹⁰. More than 16,130 signatures from different regions were gathered for the nomination¹¹.

What it is made of

The riders wear traditional dress with turban, draped garments and slippers; the horses’ bridles and saddles are sewn and decorated in the traditional way¹². In competitions, any clothing and harness customary in the sorba’s home region is allowed¹³. The rifle is called the moukahla; it must be in good condition, and the powder and primers are handed out by the organiser¹⁴.

In official competitions only Barb or Arab-Barb horses are ridden¹⁵. Tbourida contributes to horse breeding and to the making of clothing and saddlery from local materials¹⁶.

How it is made

The performance has two parts¹⁷. In the hadda, the salute, the riders enter the course at a trot, perform acrobatic drills with their weapons and return to the start; in the talqa, the troupe sets off again at a gallop and fires a volley of blanks together, as if all were leaving for war at once¹⁸.

In competitions, at least three judges score both parts: in the hadda they assess the grooming and hooves of the horses, the dress, the saddlery and the troupe’s bearing under the mokaddem; in the talqa the start, the gallop in line, the handling of the rifles and above all the simultaneous shot¹⁹. Every burst rifle costs two points, and if the mokaddem does not fire, one point is deducted²⁰. A senior troupe has at least 15 riders aged 17 and over, a junior troupe at least 11 riders between 12 and 16²¹.

Tbourida is passed on within families, from generation to generation, orally and by watching²². The young also learn to ride and care for the horses, and competitions encourage young riders to take part²³.

When

Every year there are regional, inter-regional and national competitions²⁴. In 2022 the regional rounds were held in March, from Inezgane and Safi to Oujda and Larache, and the inter-regional ones in May in Guelmim, Marrakesh and Meknes²⁵.

In 2025 the national championship of traditional equestrian arts ran from 26 May to 1 June at Dar Es Salam in Rabat, with 18 senior and 6 junior troupes²⁶. More than 300 Tbourida troupes are affiliated with the equestrian federation, and 5,900 horses are reserved for the traditional equestrian arts²⁷. Tbourida is also part of the programme of major festivals such as the Moussem of Tan-Tan²⁸.