From an idea of promoting the territory that sees the Isolarte Association and the Municipality of Tuili working together, with the collaboration of the Altopiano della Giara Foundation and the Region, tomorrow, Friday 27 December, at 5 pm, the nineteenth-century residence Villa Asquer in Tuili will host the second edition of the Cavallino della Giara Special Award with prestigious guests: Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Don Backy, Sergio Frau, General Gian Gabriele Carta and Carola Puddu.
In addition to the awards ceremony, visitors will be able to explore the museums of Tuili, take part in excursions and taste the local food and wine excellences (at 7:30 pm), exhibited at Villa Asquer thanks to the collaboration with local producers.
A tribute to the endemic ponies
Conceived by Maurizio Porcelli, the project aims to enhance the environmental and landscape resources of the area, promoting the Giara at a national and international level through the participation of important personalities.
The award is dedicated to the wild horses that live on the Giara Plateau, unique for their physical and character traits. These small equines, about one meter and twenty centimeters tall at the withers, are famous for their black or dark bay coat, thick mane and lively almond-shaped eyes.
Today there are about 600 of them, owned by the Sardinia Region since 1996. They live free in an area that also extends to the municipalities of Genoni, Gesturi and Setzu, while the SIC area includes a total of eleven municipalities (Albagiara, Assolo, Genoni, Genuri, Gesturi, Gonnosnò, Nuragus, Nureci, Setzu, Sini, Tuili). Here nature acts as mother and guardian: the steep slopes of the Giara protect the ponies, preventing them from moving away from the territory. Rebellious and proud, they curiously welcome the tourists who come every year to admire them.
They are among the rare wild horses left in Europe, a symbol of a delicate balance in a rapidly changing ecosystem. For this reason, the path of protection and enhancement undertaken in recent years is essential to preserve their authenticity.
