Rottenbuch Heavy Horse Foal Market

Germany's Largest Heavy Horse Foal Market

Rottenbuch is a municipality in the Upper Bavarian district of Weilheim-Schongau, in the scenically characterized Pfaffenwinkel. The Heavy Horse Foal Market is the most important annual horse event in the town and is considered Germany's largest heavy horse foal auction. It always takes place on the first Friday in September and attracts horse breeding associations, agriculture, and visitors from all over southern Germany.

Evaluation and Auction of the Foals

The focus is on the horse market itself: breeders bring between 60 and 100 South German heavy horse foals to Rottenbuch. A specialist commission assesses each foal based on appearance, build, stature, head expression, leg quality, and gait. The animals are then auctioned to the highest bidder. This expert evaluation and auction make the market an important date for South German heavy horse breeding.

Market Stalls and Festival Tent

Beyond the pure animal auction, the foal market has a distinct folk festival character: numerous market stalls and a festival tent with traditional brass music create a festive atmosphere. The market is thus both a social event for the region and a meeting point for the farming and horse-breeding community of the Pfaffenwinkel.

History: From Monastery Times to the Present

The market originated in the monastery era, when a horse market was held along with a trade fair. A dedicated foal market emerged in 1935. Since 1984, it has developed into Germany's largest heavy horse foal auction – a remarkable continuity that makes the market a living piece of Upper Bavarian agricultural tradition.

Significance in the Pfaffenwinkel Festival Calendar

As an annual fixture on the first Friday of September, the Rottenbuch Foal Market is firmly anchored in the festival calendar of the Weilheim-Schongau district and South German horse breeding. The organizer is the horse breeding association with the support of the municipality of Rottenbuch.