A South Tyrolean cultural heritage icon celebrates a milestone
Merano/Meran – On Easter Monday, the spa town celebrates an extraordinary anniversary: 130 years of equestrian sports on Haflinger backs. What began in 1896 as a simple farmers’ race has long developed into one of South Tyrol’s most popular traditional festivals. This year, the South Tyrol Haflinger Sports Association has a special day in store to honour this remarkable history – one that is closely linked to the city of Merano/Meran and the origins of the Haflinger breed.
Easter Monday today: tradition meets sports
130 years later almost to the day, the festivities will kick off at 10 in the morning with a colourful parade through the historic centre of Merano/Meran. Riders in traditional clothing, marching bands, carriages and festive floats will accompany the Haflingers from the Venosta/Vinschgau valley city gate all the way to the racecourse in Maia Bassa/Untermais. As a special highlight, an eight-horse team driven by Claus Luber from Upper Bavaria promises to wow the crowds.
The afternoon races are scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m., showcasing the formidable strength and stamina of South Tyrol’s Haflingers as they go head-to-head in a series of exhilarating races over 1,300 metres (preliminaries) and 1,600 metres (finals). Thanks to a rich supporting programme with music, shows and regional delicacies, the day has long become a popular outing for families, horse fans and guests from all over the Alps region. The highlight of the accompanying schedule: a performance featuring an awe-inspiring eight-in-hand team of stallions and a Roman quadriga with pro driver Claus Luber at the reins. The final race will start at 4:45 p.m.
Organised by
South Tyrol Haflinger Sports Association Chairman Christoph Zöggeler (+39 347 981 3724)
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