Empty cages take center stage at a 'lead-weighted' Partridge Fair in Montuïri

MontuïriNo clucking, no cooing, no hooting, no crowing, no nervousness from the decoy hunters, not even a single feather. This has been the dominant theme at the Montuïri Partridge Fair this morning. All the hustle and bustle of hunters and decoy hunters has turned into heated discussions about the absence of partridges and the refusal of the Regional Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Agriculture to allow the 46th edition of the Montuïri Partridge Fair due to the restrictions imposed by the avian flu health crisis.

An event that, for the first time in history, has resulted in the Fair taking place without the traditional Partridge Exhibition. It was in 1979 that the first Partridge Exhibition began, and the following year, in 1980, the fair was added, which, over time, would become known as the Fira de la Perdiu (Partridge Fair).

In protest against the health authorities' decision, the participants and the Montuïri Hunting Society have decided to bring only empty cages to the fairgrounds, replicating the usual structure of the exhibition but without birds. This action aims to denounce what they consider an excessively restrictive measure that distorts the essence of the fair.

The organizers have presented the documents and written records proving all the steps they have taken in recent weeks and which they had submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture, with the aim of justifying that the event could have been held with health guarantees. Among these documents was the request for an urgent meeting with Minister Joan Simonet, submitted on November 27th, which has not received a response from the Ministry.

The winner of the Montuirero competition also receives a ticket to the Spanish Partridge Calling Championship, but this year, since there was no competition, a raffle was held and the winner was Paco Pérez from Ciutat.

The Fair

Despite the absence of partridges, the Montuïri Town Council has maintained the rest of the events, seeking alternatives to preserve the spirit of the Partridge Fair as a cultural, social, and commercial event in Montuïri. The local dogs, gastronomy, and crafts have become the true stars of this year's fair.

In the square, chef Santi Taura has prepared ashow cookingwith the preparation of different game dishes with the partridge, also without feathers, as the main ingredient.

As we mentioned, the cart-handling competition, an event that reached its 23rd edition this year in Montuïri, garnered more attention this year. One of the new features of recent years, the demonstration of antique tools with the display of the carts of deceased residents of the town, an activity organized by Asbatra, was also one of the most popular spots of the morning.

In short, this edition of the Partridge Fair will be remembered for the absence of partridges for the first time in its history.

Thus, from now on, Fira and Mostra will share the same number, although next year will surely be the 47th, when it should really be the 46th, or the 48th if there hadn't been COVID. But we'll leave these details to the fair's historians.