Niederstettener Rossmarkt

Niederstettener Rossmarkt — Horse Market Tradition in the Hohenlohe Region

Every year on the third Thursday in January, the Frickentalplatz in the small Hohenlohe town of Niederstetten transforms into a horse market area with classic charm. The Niederstettener Rossmarkt has been one of the highlights in the event calendar of the Main-Tauber district for generations — and is considered one of the largest classic horse markets in Southern Germany, where you can still meet breeders, farmers, horse dealers, and specialists of all breeds today.

Around 200 Horses of All Breeds

Around 200 horses of all breeds gather at the Frickentalplatz on market day:

• Mini-ponies and Shetland ponies for enthusiasts and children
• Warmbloods such as Württemberger, Hanoverian, and Swiss Warmblood
• Heavy draft horses — the powerful draft horses like South German Coldblood or Black Forest Chestnut
• Special breeds such as Haflingers, Friesians, or Tinkers

Here you will experience not only the visual diversity but also the traditional haggling and bartering between farmers, breeders, and buyers — an atmosphere that has become rare in this form in Germany. At midday, judges award prizes for the most beautiful animals — without prior registration — with cash prizes, ribbons, and honorary prizes.

Market Fair in Lange Gasse

Parallel to the horse market, a large market fair with over a hundred stalls opens along the Lange Gasse. The range of goods includes agricultural supplies (bridles, saddles, wood for heating stoves, tools), household items, textiles, and sweets, as well as food specialties from Hohenlohe farmers: Hohenlohe landrace pork sausage, regional cheese, cider, and apple spritzer. It is a market in the classic sense — loud, lively, and very authentic.

Special Exhibitions and Riding Demonstrations

Throughout the day, special exhibitions in the town center complement the Rossmarkt program — arts and crafts, regional producers, occasional demonstrations of historical horse breeding. At the Frickentalplatz, riding and driving demonstrations also take place: draft horses with wagons, vaulting groups, occasional Western riding demonstrations.

Niederstetten — The Hohenlohe Castle Town

Niederstetten, a small town with around 5,000 inhabitants in the northeastern Main-Tauber district, belongs to the Hohenlohe region — one of the typical Franconian-Swabian transitional landscapes. The town is famous for its Schloss Niederstetten (Renaissance building from the 16th century), the Albert Sammt Zeppelin Collection (Niederstetten is the birthplace of the famous airship captain), and its location in the wine and fruit-growing region. The Rossmarkt takes place in January — with mostly clear winter weather — and brings life to the otherwise quiet small town.

Hohenlohe Region — Horse Breeding Tradition

The Hohenlohe region has a long tradition in horse breeding: farming families have been breeding warmbloods and working horses for agriculture and forestry here for centuries. The Rossmarkt is an expression of this tradition — and at the same time a social meeting point for Hohenlohe agriculture. You will meet farmers from Künzelsau, Schrozberg, Weikersheim, and nearby Bavarian Franconia here.