1 December 2022
UNESCO recognises Lipizzaners breeding as intangible cultural heritage in eight countries
Lipizzaner breeding in Slovenia and seven other countries have made it to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. As well as being the famed mount of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Lipizzaners — which originate from the world’s oldest stud in Lipica, Slovenia — have long been prized as a driving breed.The bid of Lipizzaner horse breeding tradition, filed by Slovenia on behalf of eight countries – Slovenia, Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Romania and Slovakia was also confirmed by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The Slovenian Culture Ministry, which coordinated the bid, said that the Lipizzaner horse breeding had played a symbolic role in all eight countries for centuries and still represented many communities today. The bid included a broad spectrum of cultural and social practices, knowledge and skills, as well as oral traditions, celebrations and equestrian sports related to Lipizzaner breeding.
The Lipizzaner stud farm in Lipica supports the international combined driving sport. An international driving competition is organized almost every year and several FEI championships have already taken place. Last March, Lipica organized a successful clinic with Boyd Exell and Martin Hölle. An official FEI course for driving officials is scheduled for February 2023. Click here for more information
Dick Lane
Photo: Krisztina Horváth
