
One of Europe's oldest and biggest horse fairs was underway today in Ireland with 80,000 visitors set to attend the event.

The Ballinasloe Horse Fair is held annually in Ballinasloe in County Galway in a tradition dating back to the 18th century.

The fair has a long standing association with the Irish travelling community, with many returning year after year for the event.

The festival is said to be one of the most important social and economic events for the travelling community.

Many gather in the small town of Ballinasloe for the eight-day fair in order to buy and sell horses as well as take part in racing competitions.

The centre of the festival is the Fairgreen, where hundreds of horse are brought to be bought and sold.

Other livestock such as cattle, sheep and poultry also change hands at the event.

This year's fair has been the first time new rules regarding the sale of animals has been in place, which require every sale to be declared and registered.

So far the Irish Department of Agriculture has said there has been a high compliance rate with the new rules.

For travellers, the fair is said rank in importance with the annual Appleby Horse Fair, which is held annually in Westmorland in Cumbria.

Two riders test their horses during one of the short races at the Ballinasloe Horse Fair in County Galway in Ireland today

A group of youngsters play with one of the horses at the fair, which has been held in the west of Ireland every year since the 18th century

Visitors at the fair gather around and clamber on to the fences to get a better look at the horses who will be taking part in the racing competitions

Riders taking the racing part of the Ballinasloe Horse Fair seriously, with the competitors eager to beat each other in the short horse races

Another rider tests out his horse for one of the short racing events, at the Ballinasloe Horse Fair, where people gather to buy and sell horses

As well as riding the horses, competitors also race their animals on carts, which draws in big crowds of spectators

The horse fair is one of the most important social and economic events to take place annually in Ballinasloe, especially with the Irish travelling community

The annual event attracts up to 80,000 visitors from all over the world, with many returning to the town year after year for the festival

A young rider sits on his pony at the fair, which is often regarded as one of the oldest and biggest horse fairs in Europe

Two young boys lead their horses around the parade ring, with the festival being one of the biggest events for the buying and selling of horses

A boy shows off a small pony that is up for sale at the Ballinasloe Horse Fair. It is estimated that hundreds of horse change hands during the eight-day festival

A young woman, left, presents one of her ponies, which she is hoping to sell at the fair, while a little boy, right, reaches up to stroke one of the horses

As well as selling horses, vendors from all over the area also go to the fair to sell sheep, cattle and donkeys. One seller shows off his donkey's teeth to potential buyers

One of the traditional events to take place at the fair include horse and buggy racing. The lightweight two-wheeled racing cart, is sometimes called a sulky, so named because of the solitary confinement of the drive

A traditional traveller's caravan is pulled along by a horse at the Ballinasloe Horse Fair. The fair is one of the major events celebrated in the Irish travelling community

As well as buying and selling horses, people gather in Ballinasloe to race their animals in what has become a tradition at the fair

The horses are lined up so potential buyers can come and inspect them before they are sold. This year marks the first time new rules regarding the sale of livestock in Ireland will be in place