{"id":10686,"date":"2024-05-13T22:39:13","date_gmt":"2024-05-13T20:39:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nopictures.be\/?p=10686"},"modified":"2025-11-14T16:53:18","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T15:53:18","slug":"battle-of-the-cows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nopictures.be\/?p=10686","title":{"rendered":"BATTLE OF THE COWS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On our way back to Lausanne i wanted to stop at Martigny to watch ‘les combats des reines’ or the battle of the cows. It’s really something special.
A few years ago, I had the pleasure of attending a combat, but my wife never seen one before. It was the perfect<\/em> opportunity to show her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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H\u00e9rens colliding<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Swiss call the Cow fighting a sport. It involves cows of the H\u00e9rens breed, and it is organised in canton Valais, Switzerland, where it is listed as a living Swiss tradition.
It’s actually natural behaviour. As the H\u00e9rens cow has a lively temperament, you can see them fighting during the summer months on the alpine meadows to establish hierarchy.
The cows are painted with a number on their withers and than taken to the arena were the battle begins.
An animal is defeated when it turns away from its opponent or refuses to fight as a sign of submission. At the end of the jousting, the \u2018queen\u2019 of the herd is designated.
It is not a minor event. Thousands of spectators flock to the event, not only to watch the cows fighting but also for a beer and some excellent charcuterie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Arena<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Herders supervise the fights and bring the cows closer together. The strength of the cows sometimes requires the intervention of several herders.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The winning cows are awarded a bell<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On our way back to Lausanne i wanted to stop at Martigny to watch ‘les combats des reines’ or the battle of the cows. It’s really something special. A few years ago, I had the pleasure of attending a combat, but my wife never seen one before. It was the …<\/p>\n

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