Cow fight
As the name suggests, cow fights are fought between cows or heifers and, unlike bull fights , usually end without injuries. The aim of the fights is to determine the ranking and leader of a herd .
In Switzerland, the cows from the combative Eringer and Evolèner breed are used. Of 1076 registered breeders , there were 7,411 registered cows in 2001, which gives an average of 6.8 animals per owner. When the individual livestock of the farmers are brought together to form a herd, which is herded on the alpine pasture for summer , cow fights are a natural behavior of the animals.
In the preliminary rounds, the cows are categorized and led into the arena in groups of 12 to 20 . Drivers (rebates) ensure that only two cows compete against each other. A jury evaluates the duels. A cow has lost if it backs away from the other cow or is pushed away.
The strongest cow is crowned queen and may lead the alpine procession. During the summer, the cows determine the lead cow, the alpine queen, who leads the herd. Further fights take place after the alpine departure in autumn. Cow fights ( Combats de Reines ) exist in Valais , Vaud , in the French departments of Savoie and Haute-Savoie, and in the Aosta Valley (where the cow fights are known as Batailles de reines ).
