The St. James Festival was held in the Spanish village of El Carpio de Tajo in the province of Toledo, as crowds turned out to applaud competitors. Horse riders have been taking part in the ancient festival as they compete with each other to decapitate a dead goose suspended on a wire. /VCG Photo

The spectacle originated as a medieval military training exercise as the Spanish fought to liberate their homeland from foreign conquerors. /VCG Photo

In the past, horse riders would attempt to decapitate a live goose but over the years the practice has ceased, partly due to the controversy sparked against animal cruelty as animal rights groups including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) had previously called for the show to be stopped. /VCG Photo

During the festival, both male and female riders must perform a variety of races on horseback called "running the goose" where they must behead dead geese hanging and tied up in the main square. /VCG Photo