Livestock Fair – Ancient Local Breeds

A livestock tradition in the Capanne di Marcarolo Park

The Livestock Fair of Ancient Local Breeds is one of the most cherished events of the summer in the Piedmontese Apennines. It takes place in Capanne di Marcarolo, a high-altitude hamlet in the municipality of Bosio, in the province of Alessandria, within the heart of the Capanne di Marcarolo Natural Park. Here, where pastures and forests shape a vibrant mountain landscape, the fair celebrates the deep bond between local communities and animal husbandry.

The event has its roots in the historic Sant'Isidoro Fair, which until the 1960s was the most important event for this territory: hundreds of head of cattle participated, accompanied by the inhabitants of Capanne, the so-called "Cabanè," recognized as highly skilled ox breeders.

The star breeds

The heart of the fair consists of the typical breeds of the Four Provinces Apennines (Alessandria, Genoa, Pavia, and Piacenza) and those at risk of extinction, which breeders bring to show from across the region:

• Cattle: mountain, Cabannina, Varzese, Valdostana, and Piedmontese cows and oxen;
• Equines: working mules, Bardigiano TPR horses, donkeys, and ponies;
• Other typical species: Carmagnola grey rabbits and other animals of the peasant tradition.

A recognized regional fair

Since 2009, the event has been recognized by the Piedmont Region as a Specialized Regional Fair, precisely for its role in promoting and safeguarding the Apennine cattle breeds and the local livestock heritage at risk of abandonment. It is organized by the Management Body of the Protected Areas of the Piedmontese Apennines and the Cascina Moglioni Ecomuseum, in collaboration with the Piedmont Region and the local municipalities and mountain unions.

Not just animals

Along the provincial road, between the church of Capanne di Marcarolo and the Foi locality, stalls are set up with local food and wine producers, agro-forestry-pastoral equipment, work clothing, specialized publications, nature photography, and wood crafts. There is also a parade of Apennine carters with mules, horses, and donkeys, and demonstrations with ancient agricultural machinery that transport visitors back to the farming life of the past.