Appleby Horse Fair 2023: Town packed for annual traditional fair

The event, which is unorganised and described as a gathering, is one of Cumbria police’s busiest jobs of the year

The town centre was bristling with police and keeping an eye on the crowds and offering helping hands to those who needed it.

They joined the RSPCA who were in attendance to look out for the animals, with top priorities for them being the welfare of dehydrated horses, dogs in hot cars, and the illegal sale of puppies.

Despite the overall concerns, the sunny weekend saw a busy hub of activity with smiling faces throughout as people, who came from a variety of backgrounds, enjoyed yet another spectacle of horses and carriages.

Most people came as a family, such as the Varey family, who travelled from Morecambe, and said that they were here to see the horses and enjoy a few drinks.

Dave, a member of the family who describe themselves as Romani-Gypsy, said: “We’ve just come for a good time and to meet up with some friends and family.

The Varey family, from Morecambe (Image: Ollie Rawlinson)

“We come every year and people come from all around.

“We travelled all the way here on horseback.

“We come here every year if possible.”

Ken Flax, who describes himself as a traveller, said he came to Appleby from Gateshead to buy and sell horses, a legal practice at the fair.

Ken Flax, from Gateshead (Image: Ollie Rawlinson)

He added: “It’s more business than leisure for me.

“I’m here with the family, the lads, the grandbairns, the daughters, sisters, aunties and uncles, some people I haven’t seen for a long time.”

While the fair is associated with the gypsy/Romani/traveller community, it’s attended by people of all backgrounds who enjoy seeing horses and bringing their own to join in the traditional activities, such as washing the horses in the river.

Traditional horse washing at Appleby Horse Fair, 2023 (Image: Ollie Rawlinson)

One couple, Dawn and Mark Bale, travelled from Norwich to Appleby, and have done for decades.

Mark and Dawn Bale, with their horse, from Norwich (Image: Ollie Rawlinson)

Dawn said about what brings her and her partner to Appleby: “The horses, the people, those who live here and those who attend the fair.

“We’ve been coming here for 38 years.

“This is our main holiday, we don’t go abroad, don’t have passports, every holiday we do is with horses.”

Sue and Ian came from Durham just to watch the horses, and said: “It’s something that we come to every year, we like horses, we like the environment, and we like the weather.

Sue and Ian, from Durham (Image: Ollie Rawlinson)

“We don’t come regularly but we’ve been here 30 times so far.”