Equestrian arts on the road to UNESCO heritage: Sardinia at the forefront with ASVI
The Ozieri-based agency is part of the national pool promoting the candidacy. The presentation will be held Friday at Fieracavalli Verona to highlight traditions, breeding, and history.Per restare aggiornato entra nel nostro canale Whatsapp
ASVI Sardinia is also part of the committee seeking UNESCO recognition for Italian equestrian arts, traditions, and cultures. On Friday, during Fieracavalli in Verona, the work plan of the Promotion Committee established on March 3, 2026, at the National Council of Equestrian Federations (CNEL) will be presented. This is a Memorandum of Understanding signed by ten entities from the Italian equestrian world, including ASVI Sardinia, which not only manages and promotes the island's various equestrian sectors, from breeding to sport, but also continues to protect its historical heritage.
It is no coincidence that the headquarters of the Regional Agency for the Development and Promotion of Horse Racing is in Piazza Duchessa Borgia, in Ozieri, in the Baronial Palace which housed the Royal Stallion Depot , established in 1874 by King Vittorio Emanuele II, a building which later became the headquarters, in 1956, of the Sardinian Horse Breeding Institute, and for a few years of the Equestrian Services of the Agris agency.
ASVI is part of a consortium also comprising Anam, Anareai, Asi Equestrian Sports, the Regional Horse Breeding Center of Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Fieracavalli Verona, FISE, Fitetrec-Ante, the Italian Horse Art and Entertainment Forum and Equestrian Theater Ets, and the Horse Breeding Institute for Sicily.
The project
The goal is to connect and document knowledge, experiences, and practices developed in various fields, contributing to a comprehensive vision of Italian equestrian arts, traditions, and cultures, with a view to possible future recognition as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. This heritage encompasses popular and chivalric traditions, the Alta Scuola, working mounts, breeding, horse racing, and sports, along with contemporary expressions of equestrian performance and theater. Not to mention the unique characteristics of Sardinia, the only Italian region to boast a horse-based event ( ardia, joust, religious procession, pairs, and more ) in virtually every town, demonstrating how deeply rooted the horse is in the island's tradition and culture.
The work will be divided into seven thematic areas: Livestock Breeding and Biodiversity; Folk Traditions and Working Horses; Sports and Equestrian Disciplines; Higher Education, Performance, and Contemporary Equestrian Theater; Research, Memory, and Documentary Heritage; International Relations and Intercultural Dialogue; Ethics, Living Heritage, and Social Role . The composition and organization of the working groups will be defined by involving the participating organizations and the necessary expertise.
In accordance with UNESCO requirements , the program also includes an ethical focus on the various equestrian fields, aimed at connecting principles, experiences, and protection tools already developed or to be integrated, considering the specificities of each practice and the well-being of the horse.
The meeting, which will be held on Friday at 2:00 PM during the Fieracavalli in Verona, in Pavilion 4, Talk Area, the space of the Sicilian Region's Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Mediterranean Fisheries, will be an opportunity to present the committee's objectives, methods, and initial guidelines.