I’ll never forget my first “hawk walk.” It was at Ireland’s School of Falconry (just outside of Cong, north of Galway), where a great guide showed our tour group how to properly handle birds of prey. For about an hour, we wandered through the enchanting grounds of Ashford Castle, with our guide sporting a Harris hawk on his forearm. After learning about falconry, each person in our group got an opportunity to “fly” the bird—tossing and catching it on his or her arm. With each toss, the glove was rotated to the next person, and the guide tucked a little chicken meat in the padded palm—and the hawk knew just where to return. The experience was both intimate and intense.
Throughout Europe, you can find vivid and memorable animal demonstrations and experiences. They run the gamut, from famous festivals such as Spain’s Running of the Bulls or Siena’s Palio horse race, to routine rituals like sheep shearing and hawk holding. Whether big and raucous or small and personal, I always find these experiences fascinating.
The Swiss resort town of Zermatt, deep in a valley at the foot of the Matterhorn, hosts a sedate four-legged procession every summer morning and afternoon: the goat parade, wherein a flock of fluffy black-and-white goats amble through the center of town. The Valais Blackneck herd, with distinctive black heads and shoulders, white rears, and long horns, is unique to the region, and something of a mascot for the Zermatt valley.
Elsewhere in the Alps, you may manage to catch a more moo-ving version: Colorful parades of cows—bedecked with flowers, laden with those big bells, and accompanied by their herders in folkloric costumes—that amble through many alpine villages to mark the cows’ ascent to (in spring), or descent from (in fall), their meadows above town. Since the timing of these processions is determined by local weather conditions, dates aren’t set very far in advance—making it tough to plan your trip around seeing one. Instead, check online closer to your arrival, and ask around locally. The festive processions are especially big deals in the Swiss towns of Engstligenalp (in the Berner Oberland) and Appenzell, in southern Bavaria’s Allgäu region, and many areas of alpine Austria.
In Vienna, a cultural highlight is seeing the Lipizzaner stallions perform at the magnificent Spanish Riding School. These regal white horses are a creation of Habsburg Archduke Charles, who imported Andalusian horses from Habsburg-ruled Spain and then mated them with a local line. They’re known for their noble gait and Baroque profile.
One Sunday morning, I decided to drop in on a performance. I ducked through a royal passageway and paid about $30 for a standing-room spot to see the much-loved stallions prance to Viennese classical music in the emperor’s chandeliered Baroque riding hall. While watching, it occurred to me that they prance in 4/4 time…even though this is the city of the waltz.
Royal Andalusian School Horse Performance
(Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli)
Equally impressive is the horse show at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art in Jerez, Spain. Here, horses—both purebred Spanish horses and larger mixed breeds—perform an equestrian ballet with choreography, purely Spanish music, and costumes from the 19th century. The stern riders command their talented, obedient steeds to prance, jump, hop on their hind legs, and do-si-do in time to the music.
While I appreciate the elegance and grandeur of a horse show, I also love the rustic simplicity and intimacy of a sheepdog demonstration.
At Kissane Sheep Farm, a 2,500-acre farm perched on a scenic slope above Ireland’s Black Valley (near Killarney), John Kissane’s family has been raising sheep for five generations. Visitors get to chat with the family, learn about their livelihood, then watch highly strung sheepdogs race around according to John’s call. On my most recent visit, one of the brothers effortlessly sheared a sheep while explaining that the Irish wool industry is so bad these days, their farm survives only with the help of money generated by showing off the tradition to visiting tourists. (While they normally do demonstrations just for tour groups, independent travelers are welcome to join a scheduled demo.)
And at Working Sheepdogs near Inverness, Scotland, a dozen joyous border collies seem eager to show off their skills. The shepherd here begins with a short talk to explain his work, its history, and why “sheep and cows are actually man’s best friend.” Then the dogs get to work: With shouts and whistles, each follows individual commands and shows an impressive mastery over the sheep. A visit to this farm makes two things very clear: Sheepdogs are smart—and sheep are idiots.
The best animal shows are not only interesting and educational, but also vividly real and culturally broadening. Adding one to your travel itinerary is a fun way to gain insights into generations-old traditions and different ways of life.
This article is used with the permission of Rick Steves’ Europe (www.ricksteves.com). Rick Steves writes European guidebooks, hosts travel shows on public TV and radio, and organizes European tours.
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