The „Monta da lavoro" is a quite new discipline, which has been developed in different countries from the traditional way of riding.

In Italy –or more precise in Maremma exist the figure of the "Buttero" a kind of Italien cowboy, which was working in the big farms controlling the cows and the other animals.

Here in Maremma the countryside is often quite impracticable and inappropriate for other kind of farm-work, so the only way of using it , was breeding animals.

The typical Maremma-cow and the Maremma-horse are races in extinction.

Until today there are Maremma horses which grow up in liberty and have got the first contact with human beings with 3 or 4 years. The race is noted for their tenacity and their contentedness.

On all the traditional village feasts there had to be a so called „Gimkana", which is a competition in which the riders have to do different exercises and surmount obstacles in less time as possible.

In 1995 was born the idea to compare the own tradition with the tradition of other countries and to organise international championships.

So in 1996 the first European Championship took place in Italy, and since then every year there is an European Championship in one of the countries which participate.

In October 2002 has been the first world championship in Portugal.

The „monta da lavoro" is a complet competition and consist in 4 proves, which have to be ridden with one hand for the category „open" (Two hands are allowed for foals and in the more easier categories).

On international level Italy is represented by the "Maremma riding style", which is caraterised by the saddle, called "scafarda" which until today is hand-made by artisans, the typical bridle and the Sunday-clothes of the "Butteri"

The first proof is a dressage trial. You can find trasvers, piruets, flying changes ecc.

The judges pay attention to immediate reaction, fast movements and stops because the discipline has got the origins in the movements which were necessary for working with the cows. For this reason the proof is made in walk or canter ( trot is allowed only for young horses )

Rider and horse have to surmount differnt obstacles and a judge gives a valutation from 0 to 10 to every exercise. He values the approach to the obstacle, the preparation, the execution and the re-start, looking for precision, the transitions, the cadence and the rhythm.

On international level there are 17 different types of obstacles as:

Parallel – slalom (distance between the poles = 3 m)where the rider has to do six flying changes passing the centreline.

Gate – The rider has to open, surpass and close a gate without release the hand.

Back steps – making a slalom

Sideway steps in form of "L" or "Z" and so on

 

The obstacles are the same as in the proof of "Attitudine", but it is a competition at time. If you move some obstacle you get a penalty in seconds.

At the end wins the rider and the horse which are more fast.

This is a cow-trail proof, similar to the team-penning, and is valid for the result of the team.

A calf has to be isolated from the group and the concorent has to bring it in an enclosed place.

Anita Knabe

(Associazione Italiana Monte da Lavoro)

Strada del Pollino, 77

58100 Grosseto

Italia

Tel.: 0039 – 347 37 60 350 Fax: 0039 – 0564 40 41 91 e-mail: