The light snowfall on Saturday did not prevent Badia from celebrating the 26th edition of the Leonardiritt, organised by the Noriker and Haflinger breeding associations of the Val Badia/Gadertal valley. Following last year’s record turnout to mark the 25th anniversary, 150 horses from the Ladin valleys and South Tyrol took part this year. The festivities began on Saturday evening in the marquee in St. Leonhard with Ladin music performed by three groups: ‘Maria & Mark’, ‘Popcorn’ and ‘Wisetime’.

The highlight of the event was Sunday, which began with a church service in the parish church of St Leonhard, celebrated by the new dean, Klaus Sottsas, and accompanied by the church choir. This was followed by the traditional parade featuring 150 Noriker and Haflinger horses – many of which had won awards at local and international shows – as well as numerous decorated floats, brass bands and dance groups. The procession was led by the mounted fanfare, featuring several Haflingers from the valley, including ‘Elodie’ owned by Thomas Alfreider from Colfosco, who was awarded the title of most beautiful four-year-old broodmare at the World Show and, in 2024, the title of most beautiful three-year-old broodmare at the show in Neumarkt. The event’s symbolic floats were a key feature of the parade: one bearing the statue of the patron saint and a miniature model of St Leonhard’s Church, and another displaying local produce, which was subsequently sold. This year, a new float was added, dedicated to the former dean Jakob Wendelin Willeit as a token of gratitude. Since 2011, Jakob Willeit has taken part in the parade on horseback every year: he continued the tradition of his predecessor, Franz Sottara, and has always supported and encouraged the organisation of the Leonardiritt. At this year’s event, he passed the baton to his successor, Klaus Sottsas, who rode in the parade on horseback for the first time. The festive atmosphere of the procession was enhanced by the brass bands from Badia, St. Martin in Thurn and Hafling, as well as the dance groups from the Fassa Valley and the Gadertal, together with the ‘Platleri Salvans’ and the ‘Bal Marmolèda da Fodom’ group. Around 700 people took part, dressed in the traditional costumes of the various valleys. The most moving moment of the day was the blessing of the horses, the breeders and all the participants, accompanied by the sounds of the brass bands.

For several years now, the Leonardi Trophy – inspired by the famous ‘Oswald von Wolkenstein Ride’ – has also been held. In the afternoon, the three participating teams competed against one another in two disciplines – the slalom and the ring-jumping – in an atmosphere of friendship and sporting competition. The participants were Sarntal Northeim, winners of the ‘Oswald von Wolkenstein Ride’, the Sarntal Labens women’s team and the Zöggeler family’s Haflinger team from Völs – Völser Aicha. Victory went to the Sarntal Northeim team, who received a wooden trophy crafted by local sculptor Luigi Valentin. Klaus Marmsole, President of the ‘Oswald von Wolkenstein Ride’, and Haflinger ambassador Sandra Robatscher – a former luge champion – presented the awards to the three participating teams together with the organising committee.

For the first time, the ‘Queen’ or ‘King of the Pins’ was also crowned – that is, the person who has collected the most pins over the course of the editions. To date, 21 different pins have been produced, including one by the well-known Ladin artist Lois Irsara and the most recent ones by Edmund Nagler. In the category for the Gadertal and Gröden valleys – which has been part of the event since the very first edition – two participants competed having collected all 21 pins: Christian Pescollderung from La Val and Martin Irsara from Badia. The winner was decided by a tie-breaker consisting of questions on the history of the Leonardiritt, in which Christian Pescollderung came out on top. In the category for all other valleys, Martina Weitlaner was the winner.

The 26th edition also provided an opportunity to thank two of the event’s mainstays, who have been involved since the very first edition and continue to help organise it to this day: Manfred Canins, director of the Badia Tourist Board in the event’s founding year, who remains a member of the organising committee to this day and is president of the South Tyrolean Haflinger Horse Breeders’ Association, and Enrico Nagler, the first and only president of the Leonardo Ride and, for many years, president of the Gadertal Noriker Breeders’ Association. The Alta Badia Tourism Cooperative and the Municipality of Badia wished to express their appreciation for the fact that both men believed in the event from the very beginning, when it comprised just over 10 horses, and that they have turned it into an event that attracts thousands of people from the Ladin valleys, from South Tyrol, from north-eastern Italy, and also from Austria and Germany. A heartfelt thank you goes to the pair of them, but also to the entire organising committee, which organises the event every year with great dedication, in collaboration with the voluntary organisations: the Badia Volunteer Fire Brigade and the Badia Brass Band, who serve culinary specialities; the Farmers’ Wives’ Organisation, who cook Ladin specialities; and the women’s group in traditional costume, who run the market featuring local produce.

Photos: Freddy Planinschek