Over 35,000 visitors descended on the small town of Braccagni (GR) in Maremma during the June 2 long weekend for Game Fair, the Italian country festival. Organized by Fiera di Vicenza, it’s the 25th edition of this fair, but the first to be held in Tuscany as previous editions were held in Tarquinia. Open air activities took center stage, from hunting and fishing to farming, with 180 exhibitors and 250 activities. The initiative created numerous temporary jobs.
Amongst the real stars were the dogs and their varied skills! Shows on “Splash dog” demonstrated ability in water, “Disc Dog” showed dogs who are brilliant at Frisbee, and “All4Dogs” guided those in need. In the demonstration ring, the sheep dogs really took our hearts – the same brilliant dogs who help humans on the farm demonstrated incredible skill in organizing herds of not only sheep but geese and leading them through an obstacle course!
Horses, too, and their riders stole the show, with the traditional Butteri, the cowboys of Maremma, in traditional costume, displays of ability in “roping” and other traditional farming skills.
Appreciators of dog and horse breeds were in for a treat, with numerous exemplars of important hunting dog breeds as well as rare horses.
Open air, active life and experimentation were the themes of the event, going hand in hand with respect for nature and the environment.
