At the end of the year 1990, cousins Ivan and Anton Meden had the idea of renewing the local festival of Saint Jacob, Jakovlja, with the wish of making it a special and different event. Together with the photographer Gordan Ukić and Anton's son David, they left for a trip through Istria searching for Istrian oxen that may still have been alive and they found around ten head. The search for these Istrian giants from one village to another bore fruit and the first oxen arrived at the Kanfanar exhibition. Since then Kanfanar has remained a friend to the Istrian ox and to the breeders of these noble animals. Every last Saturday of July they parade at the Kanfanar fair and down the streets of the village as the pride of their owners, but also of the people of Kanfanar and the numerous visitors to the fair. The most beautiful, the heaviest and the most obedient oxen are chosen at Jakovlja.

The municipality of Kanfanar continues to promote and safeguard Istrian tradition, culture and gastronomy. Thanks to the first traditional Istrian pasta factory (“Klara M”) which started production in 1987, and to the slightly 'younger' exhibition of Istrian oxen, Kanfanar has become recognised as the Municipality of the Istrian Ox and Fuži.