Tolfa Regional Butteri Tournament

The tournament of the Lazio drovers

Every summer, Tolfa, a hillside village in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, becomes the capital of the butteri, the legendary mounted drovers of the Lazio Maremma. The Regional Butteri Tournament brings together teams of three riders from all over Lazio at the La Nocchia Exhibition Centre: in the 2025 edition, 21 teams competed, totaling over 63 butteri from 11 municipalities in the region. This is no mere historical re-enactment; it is a genuine competition where riders test the equestrian skills honed through their daily work with free-roaming cattle.

A tradition born in 1968

The tournament was founded in 1968, inspired by the Giostra della Quintana in Foligno, through the initiative of local enthusiasts like Stefano Pierini and Ettore Pierrettori, based on an idea by master Rocchi. Over more than half a century, the event has grown to become one of the most iconic equestrian gatherings in Lazio, so much so that in 2021 Tolfa was designated the "City of the Horse". The town, which has been part of the Cittaslow network since 2013, also preserves an indigenous horse breed, the Tolfetano horse, which is the star of the competitions.

The three trials: ring, hat, and calf

The rules include three technical trials that summarize the buttero's craft:

• Ring Game: the three team riders collect rings of various sizes at a gallop, perform a slalom, pass their lances, and open a gate, mimicking daily work on the estate.
• Hat Game: a relay race where riders carry a buttero hat to place it on a pedestal, testing precision and teamwork.
• Calf Game (or Calf Capture): the main event, where the butteri demonstrate techniques for handling and controlling livestock according to modern animal welfare standards, under the supervision of veterinarians.

Rionale and Regional: a summer on horseback

The Regional Tournament is the highlight of an equestrian summer that involves the entire town. At the end of July, the Rionale Butteri Tournament takes place, reserved for the historic districts of Tolfa — Rocca, Poggiarello, Cappuccini, Lizzera, Sughera, and Casalaccio — preceded by a parade of the mounted teams accompanied by the Giuseppe Verdi Musical Band through the historic center to Piazza Vittorio Veneto. A few weeks later, the Regional tournament opens the challenge to butteri from across the region, with teams representing towns and estates from the coast and the Lazio hinterland.

A living heritage of the Lazio Region

Organized by the Pro Loco of Tolfa in collaboration with the Municipality of Tolfa, the Agrarian University, and the support of the Lazio Region, the tournament is much more than a race: it is a community celebration that passes down the culture of the butteri from generation to generation, featuring packed grandstands, a night-time finale, and a banner painted each year by an artist for the winning team. A unique opportunity to discover the Tolfa Mountains, just a stone's throw from the sea at Santa Severa and Civitavecchia, and a horse culture that has disappeared elsewhere.