Batailles de Reines - Eliminatoria di Ayas
The new summer stage for the Aosta Valley queens in the Val d'Ayas
About Batailles de Reines Ayas
The queens of the Aosta Valley
The Batailles de Reines are the most popular and iconic tradition of the Aosta Valley: a competition featuring cows of the Aosta breed, animals with strong and combative temperaments, naturally inclined to confront each other within the herd to establish hierarchy. The contests, bloodless and governed by precise rules, take place with horn clashes until one of the two cows retreats, declaring the winner.
Ayas, new venue for the competition
With the three-year cycle 2026-2028, Ayas — a municipality in the Val d'Ayas in the province of Aosta, at the foot of the Monte Rosa massif — becomes one of the official venues for the summer eliminatory rounds. A new local committee thus brings the great tradition of the Aosta Valley queens to one of the most renowned valleys for mountain pastures and the breeding of the Aosta breed.
How the competition works
The eliminatory rounds, spread across spring, summer, and autumn in the region's municipalities, select the queens who advance to the Regional Final, scheduled for late October at the Croix-Noire in Aosta. The event is organized by the A.Re.Ta. association (Amis des Reines et des Tchèvre), which preserves and promotes this centuries-old tradition.
A community celebration
In addition to the fights, the Ayas eliminatory round is an occasion for celebration for the entire valley: conviviality, local gastronomy, and farming culture blend into a day that celebrates the rural identity of the Aosta Valley.
Batailles de Reines Ayas — edition 2026
The 2026 edition marks Ayas' debut among the venues for the Batailles de Reines: on Sunday, August 23, one of the summer eliminatory rounds of the 69th Regional Competition will be held here. Ayas' admission to the 2026-2028 three-year cycle is one of the main territorial innovations decided by the A.Re.Ta. association, which has reorganized the calendar from a biennial to a triennial system, with 15 eliminatory rounds per year to qualify the queens for the Regional Final at the end of October at the Croix-Noire in Aosta.
In the Val d'Ayas, a land of mountain pastures and Aosta breed breeding, the cows will compete for access to the final in the ritual and bloodless contests that have always captivated the region.
Programme Batailles de Reines Ayas 2026
Sunday, August 23, 2026 — Ayas, Val d'Ayas
- Morning — Weighing of the queens and formation of categories
- Afternoon — Batailles de Reines contests, summer eliminatory round of the 69th Regional Competition
As this is a new venue, the detailed schedule and precise location will be communicated by the local committee and the association in the weeks preceding the event. Full calendar at amisdesreines.it.
Highlights Batailles de Reines Ayas 2026
Prices Batailles de Reines Ayas 2026
Practical information — Batailles de Reines Ayas
How to get there
Ayas can be reached from the lower Aosta Valley by ascending the Val d'Ayas (Aosta-Mont Blanc motorway exit Verrès, then SR45). The main hamlets are Champoluc, Antagnod, and Lignod.
Admission
Access to the competition area is generally free; refreshment and tasting points are subject to a fee.
Information
A.Re.Ta. - Amis des Reines et des Tchèvre, competition calendar at amisdesreines.it.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — Batailles de Reines Ayas
Ayas, Val d'Ayas
Val d'Ayas, 11020 Ayas