Expo Ganadera Jalisco 2026: Dates, Charrería, Horses, Cabalgata

Expo Ganadera Jalisco 2026: dates, venue and prices

The LXII Expo Ganadera Jalisco 2026 runs Oct. 7 to Nov. 2 at Glorieta del Álamo (Calzada Lázaro Cárdenas and Carretera a Chapala) in Tlaquepaque, in the Guadalajara metro area. Doors are open from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.

Adult tickets cost 80 pesos. Children under 12, seniors and people with disabilities pay 40 pesos, and the equestrian shows are included with entry.

The fair expects about 2,500 animals in all. For horse people, that includes regional Quarter Horses, Spanish horses, mules and donkeys, and caballos bailadores. Tráfico ZMG also lists Friesians, Warlanders and Gypsy Vanners among the breeds on show.

This is a livestock fair first, so cattle, sheep, goats and swine share the grounds. The horses are one strand of a big, family-friendly program.

What the horse side looks like week by week

The organizers split the livestock exhibitions into three stages. The horse-related items we could confirm are below.

Tráfico ZMG adds a National Dancing Horse Cup and the fourth escaramuzas charras fair on hobby horses (caballito de palo), both on Oct. 18, plus a Jalisco dancing horse cup late in the run. On Nov. 2 it lists a Day of the Dead show with Catrinas and caballos bailadores.

Exact daily show times were not published in the sources we used. Check the official Expo channels before you plan your day.

Sunday charrería and campeonatos charros

Per Tráfico ZMG, Sundays are the charrería days, with charreadas, equestrian shows and campeonatos charros. Charrería is Mexico's national equestrian sport, a team competition built on suertes: roping, riding and horsemanship tests.

For a first-timer, watch the horses as much as the riders. Good charro horses stop hard, turn tight and stay calm with a rope swinging nearby. That quiet athleticism is the whole point.

Want the details? Our guide to the national charrería championship walks through the suertes. For the women's side, read what escaramuza charra is.

Jaripeos also appear on the Sunday program. That's Mexican ranch rodeo, mostly bull riding, and we explain it in what is jaripeo rather than here.

What is a caballo bailador show?

A caballo bailador (dancing horse) is a horse trained to move in a collected, rhythmic, cadenced way, often to live or recorded music. Think of it as a horse that keeps time. The rider asks for steps that look like dancing while the horse stays relaxed and responsive.

What to look for: even rhythm, a calm expression, a soft contact on the rein and no rushing. A flashy horse that is tense and tossing its head is not the one you want to copy.

The Expo also lists nights with cuadra presentations: Noche Negra, Noche de Mulas and a Gala de Mujeres a Caballo (a gala of women riders). The sources name them but give no dates or running order. Expect mules and donkeys to be the stars of Noche de Mulas, and look for the official Expo schedule for each night.

Mules and donkeys deserve attention in their own right. They are often smarter, steadier and more careful than people assume.

The Expo cabalgata on Oct. 24

The traditional Expo cabalgata leaves Lienzo Charro Jalisco on Oct. 24 at noon. A cabalgata is a group ride in which riders, often in charro dress, travel together as a parade. For the history, see what a cabalgata is.

The route was not published in the sources we used. Look for it on the official Expo channels or local news close to the date.

How to watch a cabalgata safely with kids

• Stand well back from the route, behind any barrier, and never in the horses' path.
• Keep a firm hold on small children. Horses can spook at balloons, flags, loud speakers and fireworks.
• Never walk behind a horse. Stay in view at the side.
• Ask before petting. Many riders will say yes, but only the rider decides.
• Do not feed horses. Treats can cause bites and upset stomachs.
• Leave dogs at home and keep drones and flash photos away.
• Wave and cheer calmly, and avoid sudden loud noises close to the animals.

More ideas are in our horse safety guide.

Practical plan: what to do before you go

• Confirm the program. The Expo's official channels have the schedule and any changes.
• Plan for heat and long days. Bring water, sunscreen, a hat and comfortable closed shoes. Sand and manure are normal.
• Go early for the animal barns. Stage 1 includes the mules and the Quarter Horses.
• Save a Sunday for the arena. That is charrería day.
• Budget. Four tickets (two adults, two children) cost 240 pesos at the listed prices. The children's farm is 40 pesos, per Quadratín.
• Teach the basics. Our kids' hub and learn section are a good warm-up.

Other rides worth knowing about: Fiesta de las Fronteras in Rosarito is another cabalgata this season.

What to watch next

Opening day is Oct. 7. Oct. 18 looks like the big date for dancing horses and the escaramuzas fair, and Oct. 24 is the cabalgata.

The concert lineup and daily show times are not in our sources, so we are not listing them. Check the official Expo channels for those.