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HUNDREDS of travellers have flocked to an enormous centuries old funfair with street horse races and ponies for sale.

The Wickham Horse Fair has been held in The Square in Wickham, Hampshire, for almost 800 years.

w8media ..The Wickham horse fair in Wickham Square , Hampshire ..The start of the yearly horse fair will see members of the Gypsy and travelling community travel to the village to sell and race ponies and horses. Road closures throughout have meant all local businesses and pubs have closed today as the horses are paraded up and down the centre. Local homeowners and businesses seem unimpressed as usual whilst the horse trading takes place....20/05/2024..
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Young women gathering for the annual Wickham horse fairCredit: W8media
Street horse races at the annual event
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Street horse races at the annual eventCredit: w8media
w8media ..The Wickham horse fair in Wickham Square , Hampshire ..The start of the yearly horse fair will see members of the Gypsy and travelling community travel to the village to sell and race ponies and horses. Road closures throughout have meant all local businesses and pubs have closed today as the horses are paraded up and down the centre. Local homeowners and businesses seem unimpressed as usual whilst the horse trading takes place....20/05/2024..
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The fair sees members of the Gypsy and travelling community travel to the village to sell and race ponies and horsesCredit: W8MEDIA
w8media ..The Wickham horse fair in Wickham Square , Hampshire ..The start of the yearly horse fair will see members of the Gypsy and travelling community travel to the village to sell and race ponies and horses. Road closures throughout have meant all local businesses and pubs have closed today as the horses are paraded up and down the centre. Local homeowners and businesses seem unimpressed as usual whilst the horse trading takes place....20/05/2024..
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The fair attracts visitors from around the countryCredit: W8MEDIA
Two young lads help put a show for the watching crowds
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Two young lads help put a show for the watching crowdsCredit: w8media
Hundreds gathered in Fareham on a glorious day of sunshine
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Hundreds gathered in Fareham on a glorious day of sunshineCredit: w8media

Hundreds of people were pictured basking in the glorious sunshine to watch horses on display and enjoy the funfair today.

Large crowds were seen standing near barriers as others happily rode around on horses.

Traveller families are believed to have started to gather for the Wickham Horse Fair since 1269 and have been returning ever since.

And today was no different as excited men, women and children flocked to the square.

Read More in UK News

The start of the yearly fair has seen some flying down the street as they participate in street horse races.

Others paraded ponies down the road in a bid to find a willing buyer as excited onlookers watched on.

Describing the event, traveller Sammy Cooper said: "It's just for the day, we enjoy seeing the horses, enjoy the day with the family.

"It's changed a bit, but we get some travellers who come here who thinks they are travellers and they're not.

"But, it's always been good here, there's still enough room, the horses keep away from the side."

Mr Cooper has attended the "very good" day event for as long as he can remember and said he "always has and always will" return.

Another traveller, who asked to remain anonymous, described the outing as "a day for the Gypsy community to all get together".

Describing the days event, she said: "Normally, the men come in the night before and do deals on the hoses and during the day they do a flash and they show the horses, who got the best one, they buy to sell at the next fair like in Cambridgeshire."

Hundreds of travellers descend on Wickham in Hampshire for 800-year-old annual horse fair

She added: "I'd say it used to be a lot busier, like years ago, but now it's not full of only travellers."

But some travellers bemoaned the fact that the fair had become "commercialised".

Another attendee, called Andy, has attended the event for over 30 years.

The 50-year-old said: "Well, it used to be a lot better because the horses had a lot more room.

"They could go down and come back the other side but now it's so much more limited.

"They have turned it into more commercial, into a market and not just a horse event."

The attendee said it is "more of a market now" and the pathway for the horses is "narrower and shorter".

On the side of the road, street vendors were selling clothing items next to where the horses were shown.

The road was packed with stalls selling a range of things from baby, and adult clothes, to cleaning products and bedding.

Shoes, colourful balloons, handbags and hats were also on sale.

Food and drink is also on offer to hungry attendees with one stall serving up Yorkshire Pudding wraps.

Hundreds flocked to see horses and ponies on show with more arriving
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Hundreds flocked to see horses and ponies on show with more arrivingCredit: w8media
The Wickham Horse fair is an annual event which has been held for almost 800 years
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The Wickham Horse fair is an annual event which has been held for almost 800 yearsCredit: w8media
A rider gallops down the road on a horse
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A rider gallops down the road on a horseCredit: w8media
Families enjoyed the sun and the occasion today
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Families enjoyed the sun and the occasion todayCredit: Meon Valley Times
Hundreds more arrived at the Wickham Horse Fair by the afternoon
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Hundreds more arrived at the Wickham Horse Fair by the afternoonCredit: Meon Valley Times

As is tradition, this year’s fair is being held on Monday, May 20.

It is customary for the event to take place on May 20 - except when it falls on a Sunday.

Despite being a Monday, the fair was bustling with life and many visitors took it upon themselves to enjoy the warm weather with a pint.

Local Abi O'Toole lives nearby and has attended the event for seven years.

Describing it, the 44 year old mum said: "It's got a nice atmosphere, there's nice horses, it's quite good fun, nice people.

"Everyone's friendly and it's good for the kids, people come from all over the country."

Portsmouth resident Gerald Huntley said he has attended the event since he was a baby.

The 67 year old, who used to buy and sell horses, said: "It's never changed and all the people know me.

What is the Wickham Horse Fair?

Wickham Horse Fair has been held in The Square in Wickham, Fareham, for almost 800 years.

As is tradition, this year’s fair is being held on Monday, May 20.

It is customary for the event to take place on May 20 - except when it falls on a Sunday.

2022 saw it’s official return following Covid lockdown restrictions.

However, an unauthorised gathering took place in 2021 – with people selling, racing and admiring ponies as well as enjoying a funfair.

It was back in full force for 2023 with spectacular traditional horse racing on display.

The horse fair has been taking place since 1269, which is almost 800 years ago - making it one of the oldest horse fairs in the country.

The Wickham Horse Fair traces its origins back to when Roger De Syres obtained a royal charter from King Henry III to have a weekly market in 1269.

Over the years this morphed into an annual fair.

"It's a good place to have a laugh and game. I used to have about 60 horses.

"I used to have horses but I couldn't look after them now but I love to come to the fair and see all my mates.

"Some of my mates are from Gosport, they come over and see me every year, some of them are from Bournemouth, some from Southampton."

The Wickham Horse Fair traces its origins back to when Roger De Syres obtained a royal charter from King Henry III to have a weekly market in 1269.

Over the years this morphed into an annual fair.

Members of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s licensing team spoke to local licensed premises to remind them that the event is taking place and that they could receive increased numbers of customers.

Road closures throughout have meant all local businesses and pubs have closed today.

Wickham Square will be temporarily closed to traffic from 12pm, on Sunday, May 19 and will re-open on Tuesday, May 21 at 10am.

Read More on The Sun

The A334 is closed from the Shell petrol station to Titchfield Lane due to the event.

It will remain shut until 8pm today.

A boy rides a horse at the yearly fair
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A boy rides a horse at the yearly fairCredit: Meon Valley Times
Some rode on carriages pulled by horses
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Some rode on carriages pulled by horsesCredit: w8media
There was a strong turnout at the event despite it being a Monday morning
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There was a strong turnout at the event despite it being a Monday morningCredit: Meon Valley Times
People cheer as another pony is led down the road
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People cheer as another pony is led down the roadCredit: w8media
Clothes and other items were also on sale
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Clothes and other items were also on saleCredit: Meon Valley Times
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