The Burguete (Spanish: Caballo Burguete or Caballo de Raza Burguete, Basque: Aurizko zaldia) is a Spanish breed of horse from the autonomous community of Navarre in north-eastern Spain. It is listed in the Catálogo Oficial de Razas de Ganado de España in the group of autochthonous breeds in danger of extinction.[3] It is reared principally for horsemeat.[4][5] The name, both in Basque and in Spanish, is derived from that of the municipio of Auritz/Burguete.[4]

Burguete
Conservation status
Other names
Country of originSpain
Use
Traits
Colourbay or chestnut
In Ochagavía, Navarre

It is one of four Basque breeds of horse, the others being the Jaca Navarra, the Pottoka and the Euskal Herriko Mendiko Zaldia or Basque Mountain Horse.[6]: 670 

History

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The Burguete derives from cross-breeding of indigenous Basque mares of Jaca Navarra type with foreign stallions of the Trait Breton, Postier Breton and Percheron breeds, and later with Ardennes and Comtois stock.[7]: 453  It received recognition from the national government of Spain in 1979, when it was included in the Catálogo Oficial de Razas de Ganado de España.[7]: 453  The name of the breed, both in Basque and in Spanish, is derived from that of the municipio of Auritz/Burguete in north-eastern Navarre.[4]

A breeders' association, the Asociación de Criadores de Raza Equina Burguete de Navarra, was established in 1998,[7]: 452  and in 1999 was recognised by the Government of Navarre and authorised to keep the stud-book for the breed.[8]

The Burguete is distributed only in Navarre.[9] In north-eastern Navarre, its area of origin, it is associated with the municipios of Auritz/Burguete and Isaba, as well as the settlements of Villanueva de Arce/Hiriberri-Artzibar [es] in the municipio of Arce and Arrieta/Artzibar [es] in the municipio of Auñamendi [es]. Its range later expanded into north-western Navarre, where it is associated with the comarca of Barranca, with the municipio of Larráun in the comarca of Norte de Aralar, and with the Améscoas – the municipio of Améscoa Baja in the comarca of Estella Oriental and the former administrative region of Améscoa Alta [es] to the north.[7]: 453 

In 2019 there were 1532 breeding mares and 307 active stallions;[10] At the end of 2022 the total population numbered 7317 head, consisting of 6064 mares and 1317 stallions; the registered breeding stock numbered 365 stallions and 4001 mares, for a total of 4366.[9] In 2023 the conservation status of the breed was reported to DAD-IS as "at risk/vulnerable".[2]

Characteristics

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The Burguete is solidly built and somewhat brachymorphic – the length of the body is rather more than the height at the withers. The coat is either bay or chestnut.[7]: 454 

It is reared principally for horsemeat; for this purpose, mares are sometimes put to Comtois or Auxois stallions, rather than those of the Burguete breed.[11]: 448 

It may be used for draught work, and in northern Navarre is used also for conservation grazing.[11]: 448 

References

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  1. ^ Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b Breed data sheet: Burguete / Spain (Horse). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed January 2021.
  3. ^ Raza equino caballar Burguete: Datos Generales (in Spanish). Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación. Accessed January 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Burguete de Navarra: ganado equino caballar (in Spanish). Federación Española de Asociaciones de Ganado Selecto. Accessed January 2021.
  5. ^ Raza equino caballar Burguete: Usos y sistema de explotación (in Spanish). Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación. Accessed January 2021.
  6. ^ A. Solis, B. M. Jugo, J. C. Mériaux, M. Iriondo, L. I. Mazón, A. I. Aguirre, A. Vicario, A. Estomba (2005). Genetic Diversity Within and Among Four South European Native Horse Breeds Based on Microsatellite DNA Analysis: Implications for Conservation. Journal of Heredity 96 (6, November/December 2005): 670–678. doi:10.1093/jhered/esi123. (subscription required).
  7. ^ a b c d e Miguel Fernández Rodríguez, Mariano Gómez Fernández, Juan Vicente Delgado Bermejo, Silvia Adán Belmonte, Miguel Jiménez Cabras (editors) (2009). Guía de campo de las razas autóctonas españolas (in Spanish). Madrid: Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Medio Rural y Marino. ISBN 9788449109461.
  8. ^ Ignacio Javier Martínez Alfaro (26 April 1999). Orden Foral de 26 de abril de 1999, del Consejero de Agricultura, Ganadería y Alimentación: Se reconoce a la Asociación de Criadores de Ganado Equino Burguete de Navarra (ASCANA) como gestora del Libro Genealógico de la Raza Equina “Burguete” y se aprueba la Reglamentación específica de dicho Libro Genealógico (in Spanish). Boletín Oficial de Navarra. 70 (4 June 1999): 4–8.
  9. ^ a b Datos Censales de la raza Burguete (in Spanish). Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación. Archived 14 September 2023.
  10. ^ Raza equino caballar Burguete: Datos Censales (in Spanish). Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación. Accessed January 2021.
  11. ^ a b Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. ISBN 9781780647944.