The protagonists of the festival are the “Reines” or Queens, the cows who meet and challenge each other with blows of horns. A celebration of the Valle d’Aosta that attracts great participation from the public, numerous enthusiasts and tourists.
These are bloodless and instinctive battles for the cows. The defeated cow generally gives way to the stronger opponent, without shedding blood.
Every Sunday, starting from the end of March, with a break in June-July for the herds to climb to the mountain pastures, the “queens” of the Valley face each other in the arenas set up in various locations of the region.
Even in these preliminary phases, participation is guaranteed, there is no lack of sporting competition, no danger for the animals. On average, 150 cows compete for the title every year, divided into three weight categories. The top four in the three categories qualify for the regional final in which the queen is elected.
The preliminaries take place in twenty different municipalities, eight in spring from March to May, six in summer in July and August and six in autumn in September and October to end with the regional final in Croix-Noire in Saint-Cristophe.
Then they are numbered on the sides, then the pairs for each category are drawn and we proceed with the matches with the direct elimination method until the final clash to naturally decree a “Queen” of the group.
In the summer and autumn competitions and for the final, all competitors are required to be pregnant, while for the spring preliminary round it is sufficient that they have given birth no later than November of the previous year.
Great popular festival
Twenty appointments throughout the year
Tradition that dates back to around 1600
Appointment for adults and children
The Combat Final (the final fight) takes place on the last Sunday of October in Aosta at the Croix Noire, which is a special arena located on the outskirts of the city. The aim of the final is to elect the Reina or the queen of the cows.
The arena is delimited with barriers inside which piles of earth are placed to make the environment more similar to the natural one so that the animals can carry out the preliminary psychological preparation before the match.
Sometimes the matches are long and exhausting for the cows that are equal, while they are very short if a competitor feels the clear superiority of her opponent. It may also happen that a cow refuses to fight and abandons its position to the disappointment of the owner and the public.
In each preliminary round the top four classified are rewarded with cowbells of progressive size based on their placing. On the collar of each of these the year and place of the meeting is shown and, only for the “reina”, the typical “bosquet”, a fir branch decorated with ribbons and flowers, is fixed to the stud red.
It is a spectacle that has animated Aosta Valley farmers for over half a century and which leverages the warlike instinct of some breeds of cows.
The Final Battle has always been a moment of celebration for the farmers who meet after a summer spent in the mountain pastures and which each draws thousands of spectators and lovers of this tradition to the city.
When
This event generally takes place every year
Preliminary phases in the various municipalities between the end of April and the beginning of May
They resume from the end of July to the beginning of October
Finals divided into categories in October
WHEN
This event generally takes place every year with Finale in October
Paid Event
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The reported events may be subject to changes or cancellations.
It is always advisable to inquire in advance to confirm the event and the dates