Batailles de Reines - Pollein Elimination

The Batailles de Reines, the rural soul of the Aosta Valley

The Batailles de Reines (battles of the queens) are the most famous rural tradition of the Aosta Valley: natural encounters between cows of the Aosta breed, which face each other according to their hierarchical instinct to establish the "queen" of the herd. These are not bloody fights, but challenges of strength and character that end when one of the two cows retreats. The Regional Contest, which in 2026 will reach its 69th edition, marks the season with a long series of elimination rounds.

Pollein, the spring elimination

The elimination round in Pollein, a municipality in the Aosta area, is one of the most followed spring events on the calendar and takes place at the Grand Place as part of the Pollein eun Fita patronal feast. The cows are divided into categories based on weight, and the top-ranked in each category qualify for the regional final.

A day of celebration and tradition

The day of the elimination is a social and sporting event: breeders present their queens, the public passionately follows the challenges, and the entire town gathers around a tradition that tells the story of the farming identity and mountain farming of the Aosta Valley. The event is organized by the Comité Amis Batailles de Reines de Pollein.