What do Belgium and Argentina have in common, besides an affinity for eating fries with mayonnaise? Cows! Yup, we’re back from our big Ardennes getaway…and the first thing that came to mind as we drove through field after field of brown cows, white cows, black cows, gray cows, black and white cows….. was La Exposición Rural (or just La Rural) in Buenos Aires, where dozens of different breeds of cattle are presented to the capital’s public, tourists, and to the different breeders and farmers of the country. It’s the only place, other than the Belgian country side, where I’ve seen so many cows in one place.
La Rural - Young gauchos sipping mate by their cattle
La Rural was started in 1886 and exemplifies how dearly the Argentinians cherish their cows, horses, and land. The slogan of the Argentine Rural Society, which puts on the exposition, is “To work the soil is to serve the country,” and the fact that the exposition is held in Palermo, Buenos Aires’ most wealthy neighborhood, shows what an honorable and profitable occupation being a gaucho or a farmer used to be and still is. There are even fancy banquets and balls as well as important conferences held during the course of the exposition in the beautiful 19th century main hall, which is right in front of the botanical garden and the zoo.
La Rural - Cows with humps
Argentina has a vast territory of land that spans all types of landscapes, from tropical forests to desert, from mountains to glaciers, and from plains to beaches. Thus, it’s no wonder that their farm animals and products are so varied. At La Rural, you can see the best of what Argentina has to offer in terms of animals and food as well as horse breeding and training, and of course, tradition.
La Rural - Cows with a strange, sheep-like coat
For the minimal fee of 15 pesos ($3.90/€2.73), you can walk around and admire dozens of beautiful specimens of cows, horses, sheep, beautiful chickens and roosters, not-so-beautiful turkeys, peacocks, and even adorable bunnies and chinchillas sleeping after a long day of competing for the blue ribbon, probably for cutest litter critter! There are also pigs, but they’re not so cute, except for the baby ones! Awww.
La Rural - Prize-winning chinchilla
And if you’re more mechanically inclined, you can check out the latest technology in tractors, incubators, and more tractors!
For those who don’t really care much about the animals or technology, there are also people dressed in traditional costumes and performing dances or shows, stands dedicated to tourism for each province, and politically-charged booths and cartoons, at the time of my visit showing a general disapproval of President Kirchner’s heavy taxation on farmers. There are also small folk and rock concerts and guest speakers in the exposition hall at some of the booths.
La Rural - White peacocks
One of the main highlights of the exposition is the horse show, where gauchos show off how well they have trained both their herd as a group, as well as the individual horse, with intricate shows in which they demonstrate how the horse can literally stop or turn on a dime.
La Rural - Gaucho rounding up horses
I loved it all really, but for me, the main focus was the food (ya, I know, pick your jaw up off the floor). The farmers bring their best products to show off, offer for sampling, and sell at the fair. I got some delicious honey that was sweeter than any I had ever tasted before, yet still somehow not nauseatingly sweet – it was magical honey. Of course there are booths selling hundreds of different kinds of hams, sausages, salamis, and cheeses, as well as planting exhibitions, recipe stands, wine tasting of local organic wines (Argentine wine is amazing if you didn’t already know), and delicious asado (grill) stands outside where you can eat the most mouthwatering choripan of your life.
La Rural - Choripan
This year, the exposition celebrated its 123rd year of shows from July 23-August 4. If you missed it this year, be sure to check it out each year around this same time if you happen to be near Buenos Aires. It’s open every day during this period from 9AM to 8PM. Check their official website about more details about location, prices, how to get there via public transportation, and parking info.
La Rural - Meats and cheeses for sale
La Exposición Rural
Av. Sarmiento 2704
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Phone: +54 (11) 4777-5500
