Güliz Ayla
July 3 · Friday · 21.00
Festival Stage
Katpatuka — Land of Beautiful Horses
Cappadocia Horse and Horsemanship Culture Festival
About the Festival
In the footsteps of a millennia-old tradition
Cappadocia has been synonymous with horsemanship throughout history. Known in the Persian era as “Katpatuka” — the “Land of Beautiful Horses” — these lands carried travel and trade on horseback for centuries. Today, horseback nature tours remain an inseparable part of the region's identity.
Held under the auspices of the Governorship of Nevşehir and organised by the Municipality of Göreme, the festival keeps this ancient tradition alive across three days of equestrian shows, traditional sports, children's activities and open-air concerts.
“Our fundamental aim is to make Cappadocia's title as the ‘Land of Beautiful Horses’ not merely a legend, but a living reality.”
Mayor of Göreme — from the launch address
Türkiye's first registered horse festival
The festival's original concept is officially registered with the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office.
Trademark Reg. No: 2024 084206 · Registered: 10.10.2024 · Owner: Göreme Belediye Başkanlığı (Municipality of Göreme)
Festival Programme
Three days, hour by hour
- 10.00Festival Grounds Open
- 10.00Photo Marathon Registration DeskA festival-long photography contest; registration opens Friday 10.00, awards Sunday 20.00.
- 10.00–14.00Riding Experience for Individuals with Special NeedsSupervised riding open to visitors; Friday includes a dedicated session for individuals with special needs.
- 15.00–19.00TJK Pony ClubThe Jockey Club of Türkiye's pony riding and introduction area for children.
- 15.00–19.00Ethnosport Experience AreaTry traditional Turkish sports — archery, mas wrestling and more — for yourself.
- 15.00–20.00Children's Play Area
- 16.00–17.00Festival ProcessionAll mounted teams parade in traditional dress — the visual peak of the opening. Route: starting in front of Göreme Town Hall, past the Roman Castle and along Müze Caddesi to the Festival Grounds (1.8 km).
- 17.00–17.30Opening Speeches
- 17.30–18.00JAKEM ShowOfficial show by the mounted unit of JAKEM (the Gendarmerie Horse and Dog Training Centre, Nevşehir) — ceremonial uniforms, disciplined formation riding and dressage.
- 18.00–18.45Cirit — Equestrian Javelin ShowThe oldest Turkish mounted team sport: two teams exchange wooden javelins at full gallop, built on evasion, catching and manoeuvre. On UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
- 18.45–19.30HorseballA modern mounted team sport — a blend of basketball and rugby. Players scoop a strapped ball from the ground and shoot at the opposing hoop.
- 19.30–20.00Mounted Combat Arts & AcrobaticsA combined display of mounted archery, sword work and acrobatic riding — Turkish cavalry tradition brought to the arena.
- 20.00–21.00DJ Performance
- 21.00–22.30Güliz Ayla in Concert
- 22.30–24.00DJ Performance
All events take place at the Göreme Festival Grounds; balloon-accompanied horseback tours depart from the valleys.
Highlights
Stage by night, arena by day
Concerts
Ayşegül Fırat
July 4 · Saturday · 20.00
Festival Stage
Kıraç
July 5 · Sunday · 21.00
Festival Stage
Arena Shows
- Cirit — Equestrian Javelin
- Horseball
- Gallop Race
- Mounted Combat Arts & Acrobatics
- Horse Beauty Contest
- Horseback Tours Amid the Balloons
Mounted Archery
Shooting at targets from a galloping horse — the mounted branch of Turkish archery tradition. Seen in the arena as part of the Mounted Combat Arts and Ethnosport shows.
A Chance Every Day
Horseback Tour Prize Draw
Entries are accepted until 15.30 each day of the festival. The draw takes place daily at 15.30 and 8 winners are selected. Entries submitted after 15.30 are carried over to the next day's draw.
Winners must be at Moonlight Horse Ranch at 16.00 the same day. Participation is free.
Winners may bring one guest; guest participation is 20% off.
Enter the DrawGallery
Scenes from the Festival
Through the lens of the Land of Beautiful Horses.
Ring Picking
From Ottoman cavalry tradition — seizing the ring at full gallop
Cirit
UNESCO-listed heritage — the oldest Turkish mounted team sport
Horseball
Battling for the ball — hands high, eyes locked on the strapped ball
The Rear
Groundwork show — a horse rearing on its trainer's command
JAKEM Mounted Unit
The Gendarmerie mounted unit in ceremonial uniform with standards
The Riding Experience
A guided riding experience — the festival's warmest moment
More
Getting There
Göreme Festival Grounds
The festival grounds sit in Göreme, the heart of Cappadocia, in an area dense with fairy chimneys — 88,100 m² in total, with power and water infrastructure.
Open in MapsProcession Route
The procession sets off from the front of Göreme Town Hall, passing the Roman Castle and Müze Caddesi to reach the Festival Grounds (1.8 km).