Valleseco hosts the XVII Equine Therapy and Native Sports Day

Over 600 people from 19 occupational centers in Gran Canaria gathered at La Laguna recreational area for a day of inclusion.

Generic image of people participating in traditional Canary Islands games in a natural setting.
IA

Generic image of people participating in traditional Canary Islands games in a natural setting.

Valleseco became the epicenter of social inclusion with the celebration of the XVII Equine Therapy and Native Sports Day, bringing together over 600 people from 19 occupational centers from Gran Canaria at the La Laguna recreational area.

The initiative, organized by the Coordinator of Occupational Centers of the Province of Las Palmas (COMPSI) and the Valleseco City Council, fostered coexistence and the enjoyment of adapted activities in a privileged natural environment, despite the high temperatures.
This consolidated island event, which aims for the real inclusion of people with disabilities, promoted their participation in traditional Canary Islands sports such as Canary ball, petanque, lucha del garrote, calabazo, Canary wrestling, and traditional dances, in addition to equine therapy activities.
Occupational centers from Valleseco, Valsequillo, Firgas, Teror, Arucas, Santa Lucía de Tirajana, Moya, Gáldar, Ingenio, Agüimes, Santa María de Guía, El Tablero, participated, along with entities such as ASPACE, ADEPSI, the CADF of Arucas, and the CADI Obispo Padre Cueto and San José Las Longueras.
The Director General of Disability of the Government of the Canary Islands, Dulce María Gutiérrez González, highlighted the importance of these spaces in supporting the rights and full participation of people with disabilities, stating that "disability is a circumstance that accompanies us, but it never defines who we are."
Gutiérrez González also valued the organization of the event and the involvement of the centers, noting that "it demonstrates that people with disabilities are an active part of our society and our identity as a people."
The commitment of dozens of volunteers and the professional teams from the occupational centers were key to the success of the day, which required complex logistical and human coordination.
The councilor responsible for the Occupational Center of Valleseco, Inma Herrera Marrero, emphasized that it is the event that brings together the largest number of occupational centers in Gran Canaria, highlighting the unique experience offered to participants.
Xiomara Cardona Cabrera, from the Fuente La Rosa Petanque and Canary Ball Club, expressed her pride in collaborating and bringing traditional games closer to the participants. For their part, attendees such as Nereida San Martín and Tania Falcón highlighted the atmosphere of coexistence, friendship, and the enjoyment of equine therapy and shared learning.
The day concluded with a communal lunch that reinforced the bonds among all those involved.