Wild Horse Catch Dülmen

Wild Horse Catch Dülmen — a spectacle with roots in the Middle Ages

The Wild Horse Catch Dülmen is one of the most extraordinary natural spectacles in Europe. On the last Saturday in May — thus May 30, 2026, starting at 1:45 PM — the annual foaling will take place in the Merfelder Bruch, northwest of Dülmen. From a free-living wild horse herd of about 400 animals, the one-year-old young stallions are separated from the pack.

Why are the young stallions separated?

The foaling is not a tourist spectacle, but a biological necessity. If the young stallions were to remain in the herd, it would lead to:

• Territorial fights between the sexually maturing young stallions and the dominant lead stallion
• Inbreeding, as the young stallions would remain within their own family
• Stress in the herd, which would burden the entire social structure

The foaling thus preserves the genetic diversity and social life of the herd.

The Dülmen Wild Horses — Europe's last wild horse herd

The Dülmen Wild Horses are the last free-living wild horse herd in Western Europe. The herd has lived for centuries in the Merfelder Bruch, a nature reserve of around 400 hectares in the Münsterland region, maintained by the Duke of Croÿ's administration as the owner. The animals are not entirely wild in the strict sense — they are presumably descendants of domesticated horses that became wild again in the Middle Ages. But they live without stable housing, without veterinary routines, without daily human intervention.

The Spectacle of the Capture

The Wild Horse Catch itself proceeds as follows:

1. About 100 brave men (traditionally only men, deliberately non-professionalized, many from the region) enter the arena
2. The young stallions are pulled from the herd with bare hands and brought to a separate area
3. Subsequently, the young stallions are auctioned — many go to horse lovers from home and abroad

Thousands of spectators sit in front of the grandstand and follow the spectacle.

Tickets, Travel, and Dates

Tickets from €45 via Eventim, Köln-Ticket, and other ticket outlets. Travel by bus from Dülmen train station is possible with ticket purchase. Travel is essential by late morning at the latest — access roads are heavily frequented from midday. Parking is available on the grounds of the Wildpferdebahn (approx. 600 m walk to the arena).

Dülmen and the Münsterland

Dülmen, with around 47,000 inhabitants, is a medium-sized town in the Coesfeld district (North Rhine-Westphalia, Münsterland). Known primarily for its wild horses — the town's symbol — and for Dülmen Castle. The Wild Horse Catch is considered the most important tourism event of the year and attracts visitors from all over Europe.