[vc_row][vc_column][vc_images_carousel images=”1675,1671,1676,1672,1673,1674,1677″ img_size=”full” autoplay=”yes”][vc_column_text]The social and events scene in Mallorca is a varied one with events taking place throughout the year and now there is a new player in town looking to take the crown for the most elegant event of the year,
The Celebrity team were lucky enough to be invited to the first edition of Hats and Horses to take place in Mallorca so we donned our glad rags, slapped on a hat, and headed down to the Hippodrome Son Pardo in Palma.
The location, on the outskirts of Palma, may not seem like the most salubrious of venues to host an Ascot-style event but inside it is perfect for such an occasion with an expansive lawn and a great terrace overlooking the course.
Hats and Horses is the brainchild of Ariadna Vilalta who was inspired by a trip to Ascot in the UK and wanted to bring some of the same glamour and prestige to the Balearic Islands.
The event kicks off with some of the horses warming up on the course as the food buffet is laid out and the bottles of wine are uncorked almost as fast as the horses complete a full lap.
As the races begin at 4 pm, the bets are placed and the horses gallop off of the starting line. The unusual part of the races in Mallorca compared with Ascot is that the jockeys ride in a small carriage that is pulled along by the horses. The trotting horses of the Balearic Islands come from crossed specimens of French trotter, English thoroughbred, Danish, Dutch and Spanish purebred horses and are bred to run.
It is quite exhilarating to see the speed at which the jockeys are pulled along although slightly terrifying to watch the horse’s back legs lifting so high when the jockey is sat so low – it could be rather uncomfortable if one of those powerful hooves made contact!
The races continue and the crowds continue to place their bets – some of the Celebrity team had a flutter although Lady Luck was not on our side.
Standing in the hippodrome with an ice-cold gin and tonic in our hands, everyone milling around in their finest attire and with some truly spectacular hats dominating the crowds, it is clear to see why the event is popular in Menorca. It also shows that there is so much potential for the event to become a regular fixture on the Mallorca social calendar.
Hats and Horses will be back next year and is an event that should not be missed and brings something truly unique to Mallorca. For more information about the event take a look at www.hatsandhorses.com and check out the Celebrity Facebook page for all of the photos from the event![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row]