Slovenian Lipizzaners first day of pasture in May

The Karst region around Sežana is a land of Slovenian national pride. The credit for this goes to the white horses which, while grazing or in mid-gallop, seem like a mythical vision from a dream. In Lipica, which is not a destination you will soon forget, they tell stories about tourists who sometimes spend their whole day admiring the Lipzzaners.

The unique Slovenian horses belong to one of the oldest horse breeds in Europe and in the world. After the Day of the Lipizzaner Horse in May, everything is ready for the International Driving Competition from 27 to 29 June. In the middle of the summer, on 4 and 5 July, the Lipizzaner traditional riding school will prepare a show in Germany.

On 19 May, Lipica traditionally marks its centuries-long tradition of Lipizzaner horse breeding. The most emotional event at the Day of the Lipizzaner Horse is the foals` first day of grazing. This year 18 Slovenian foals, who are still black at this age, took their first playful steps into the field to graze by their mother`s side. Exactly 434 years have passed since the Habsburg Archduke Charles II, son of the Emperor Ferdinand I, bought the Lipica property from the Bishop of Trieste Coretto. This represented the foundation of the future imperial stud farm in Lipica, where the Lipizzaners were trained in the style of the Spanish riding school in Vienna. The stud farm`s activities culminate in the horse shows in the Lipica hippodrome. The performance of the Lipica traditional riding school is a special event due to the nobility, beauty, and elegance of the Lipizzaner horses.

Every year, the traditional International Driving Competition attracts many people to the stud farm. From 27 to 29 June, a competition will be held for singles, pairs and horse teams, which will also represent world cup qualifier for horse teams. On the first day, the dressage competition will be organized at the hippodrome, on the second day the marathon competition, followed by the obstacle cone driving on the third day.

The former wedding hall in Lipica hosts a permanent photo exhibition of a great admirer of this horse breed and established Slovenian photographer Joco Žnidaršič, while the reception of the Hotel Maestoso will be hosting a photographic exhibition of Milan Malovrh »The Lipizzaner Allegory« till mid-June.

On 4 and 5 July, the Lipizzaner traditional riding school will attend a show abroad. The graceful Lipizzaners will be representing the Slovenian flag at the Festival of European Stud Culture in Europe`s oldest state stud farm of Marbach in Germany. The Festival is being organized by European State Studs Association, which unites 30 of the most recognized stud farms. In Slovenia, we dare to say that travellers passing by are completely amazed by the Lipica stud farm, with its noble white beauties in a natural environment or performing dressage steps in a hippodrome.

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