Queen of Queens: Mad Cow at its Best!

I wouldn’t have believed it without a Google search, but welcome to the land of Swiss Fighting Cows!

As we trek across the European countryside, we’ve encountered all shapes and sizes of goats, sheep, marmot (I thought it was just a clothing company!) and cow.  Friends had prepared me for the enchanting symphony of cowbells I’d encounter on our trip.  Imagine hearing a cacophony of ringing bells lilting across the countryside as we go about our journey.

For generations, farmers have placed large (and often heavy and ornate) cowbells around the neck of their milk cows to allow them to quickly find their grazing livestock and bring them in for twice-a-day milking.  The bells sound loudly across the countryside for miles as the animals enjoy grazing in the hilltops.  All that’s missing is Julie Andrews singing “The Hills Are Alive…”

Apparently, the cows like getting milked and line up quickly at the portable milking station and storage tank taken out to the grazing area for the daily ministrations. The cows enjoy the tasty grass until winter approaches and the annual parades and ceremonies are held to welcome them home to lower climes and hay for the winter. I guess this is where the saying about the cows coming home started.

Our guide alerted us that we may see some of the famous Swiss Fighting Cows.  Our group of skeptical and jaded Americans accused her of trying to pull one over on the gullible tourists so we shared our own tales of cow tipping and snipe hunting.  That was, until we got back to civilization and the internet to confirm this exciting competion!

Cow fighting is a traditional Swiss event drawing up to 50,000 spectators a year.  Each year, the canton of Valais and the town of Marigny host a series of cow fights known as combats de reines (“queen fights”). Local district winners vie for the coveted title of La Reine des Reines (“the queen of queens”)  There is no swimsuit competition or scholarship awarded but the value of the winners greatly increases.

These female Herens breed of cows typically get into scuffles in the fields as they assert their dominance of the herd.  Each of these head-to-head butting clashes can go on as long as 40 minutes and end when one contestant either refuses to engage or is pushed from the ring. No worries- horns are buffed down to minimize possible bovine injury.

Spaniards, keep your bullfighting.  Bring on the Swiss fighting cows!