Manuel Naranjo Martell documents Spanish equestrian roots in new book

Seville-born photographer Manuel Naranjo Martell has released his third photo book, titled ‘Saca 1504’, which documents the ancient horse-handling traditions of the Doñana region in southern Spain.

The work focuses on the ‘Saca de las Yeguas’, an annual horse gathering, and the lives of local horsemen known as ‘yegüerizos’ in the marshlands of Almonte. Naranjo explores the historical link between these Spanish livestock traditions and the equestrian cultures of the Americas, such as the American cowboy, the Mexican charro, and the South American gaucho.

Naranjo notes that while these international figures are widely recognized, the Spanish roots of these customs in the Lower Guadalquivir river basin are often overlooked. The book’s title refers to the year 1504, when the III Duke of Medina Sidonia established ordinances to regulate the grazing and management of mares in the Almonte marshes.