Casablanca – Tbourida will take center stage at the 17th Salon du Cheval d’El Jadida, with the Grand Prix of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Tbourida bringing some of Morocco’s finest “sorbas” together from October 13-18.
For anyone who has ever watched a Tbourida performance, the magic starts long before the gunpowder goes off.
A row of riders moves across the arena, horses charging in near-perfect formation, traditional clothing flowing with every movement, until the entire sorba seems to move as one.
Then comes the moment everyone waits for. The riders raise their rifles, the horses surge forward, and the synchronized gunpowder blast closes the performance with a sound that feels almost as powerful as the spectacle itself.
More than a horseback performance
Known as “Tbourida,” Fantasia, or the “powder game,” the tradition brings together horsemanship, ceremony, dress, craftsmanship, and collective discipline.
In that sense, every detail matters. The riders must control their horses while maintaining formation and matching the rhythm of the sorba. Their traditional clothing and elaborate saddlery add another layer to a performance that carries generations of Moroccan history.
UNESCO also recognizes this Moroccan tradition, adding it to its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021, recognizing its cultural and artistic value and its place within Morocco’s living heritage.
But perhaps what makes Tbourida so captivating is the sense of togetherness behind it. No rider performs entirely alone. The beauty comes from the sorba moving, turning, accelerating, and firing as one.
El Jadida brings it to the spotlight
At this year’s Salon du Cheval, that collective spirit will unfold through the Grand Prix of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Tbourida, which will bring together leading sorbas from across Morocco in an interregional competition.
The competition will put their horsemanship, formation, coordination, horse control, traditional dress, and synchronized gunpowder firing to the test. The final will crown the sorbas that rise to the top of the competition.
Tbourida will also return for a more celebratory moment on October 18, when free performances will give visitors another chance to enjoy the tradition outside the competition itself.
The horse in service of humanity
This year’s edition comes under the theme “The Horse in the Service of Humanity,” a theme that looks beyond competition and performance to the relationship between people and horses.
That idea feels particularly fitting for a Salon where tradition and contemporary equestrian life meet in the same space.
From the roar of a Tbourida charge to the elegance of a show horse, the craftsmanship of a traditional saddle, and the quiet connection between a rider and their horse, El Jadida will once again put Morocco’s equestrian culture on full display.
