oho #3 - The magazine of the Principality of Liechtenstein

oho#3
What a stubborn donkey! This assessment is heard from spectators every
August, when the legendary Donkey Festival is staged. Stubborn donkey?
One may ask: who is the stubborn one – the man who is pulling and
pushing and tempting the donkey to complete the course with all (legal)
means at his disposal? Or the donkey that doesn’t really see why it should
hurry, because it knows that at the end of the day it will be getting plenty
of care and attention and a sack of carrots, whatever the outcome. But
first things first…
Donkey takes its time
The Organising Committee chaired by Normann Bühler chose a glorious
summer day in August 2015 to stage the 19 th Donkey Festival. Dark
green meadows, bright blue skies and a gentle breeze attracted hundreds
of spectators from Liechtenstein and abroad to Malbun to watch the event,
overlooked by the Peace Chapel. None of them were to be disappointed:
the starting line-up was long, lamas and alpacas were included as
starters for the first time. And in stark contrast to conventional
competitions, where the decisive criteria are faster, higher and better,
what spectators at the Donkey Festival enjoy best is when not everything
on the course goes to plan – which is frequently the case.
While laymen are wont to describe donkeys as being stubborn and
irascible, this is an unfair view of these gentle and intelligent animals. In
fact, donkeys simply like to take their time. Their own sweet time.
Incidentally: who says everything always has to move faster and exactly
according to plan? Why not stop for a moment and ruminate, enjoying the
wonderful mountain panorama? Why not nibble on a tuft of grass? Or
simply potter along for the fun of it? Quite. By the end of the Festival, fun
had been had by nearly everyone: the spectators, who were highly
amused by the events of the day. The victor, who completed the course
with the donkey Tommy in just 58 seconds. And even the donkey Sorry,
who – as befitting his name and the four resolutely refused hurdles –
required many times the winning time to complete a total of seven
hurdles, and consequently trailed the field by a substantial margin. Yet
neither Tommy nor Sorry were much bothered either way. For: there are
only winners at the Malbun Donkey Festival, and the same prize for
everyone – a large sack full of carrots, and no end of tender loving care.
It’s your own fault if you miss the event
By the way: in addition to the course with hurdles, the Donkey Festival
also features a “Donkey Grand Prix”. The winner is the first donkey to
complete the course before the watchful eyes and encouraging cries of
the many spectators lining the route leading from the Alpine Hotel Vögeli
to the Valley Station Sareis, and back. Once again, this extremely
entertaining race demonstrates that donkeys prefer being encouraged,
rather than being drilled, and that practically nothing unsettles them.
And because taking part in the Donkey Festival is more important than
winning, some riders go on to complete a round of honour – not always
voluntarily, but nevertheless. Whatever: at the end of the day, all are the
same and all have good reason to be happy: the donkeys who can graze to
their heart’s content on the green meadows. And the visitors who can
spend the end of a convivial day in or around the festival marquee, at the
heart of Malbun.
2016 Donkey Festival
Good news: on 6 August 2016 the Malbun Donkey
Festival Association will be staging the 20 th
Donkey Festival. For this purpose, the sevenstrong
Organising Committee holds regular
meetings to ensure an eventful and entertaining
supporting programme for young and old. “We
invite you all to visit Malbun on 6 August, and to
play an active part in our Donkey Festival,” says
Normann Bühler, Chairman of the Association.
The Organising Committee has always stuck to its
tried and trusted concept. Attention focuses on
the donkeys, along with visitor conviviality.
Visitors may rest assured: Association members
make their own animals available to all those who
do not have a donkey in their own stables.
Moreover, alpacas and lamas will once again be
part of the family festival.
Young nature-lovers
By the way: the Association has no shortage of
young members – animals, as well as people. The
Association has around 60 members, and a steady
stream of new young members. “Young people in
Triesenberg are fond of animals and the natural
environment,” says Bühler. With so much good
news, nothing can stand in the way of a
successful 20 th Donkey Festival in Malbun.
Online-Video
Want to experience the
Donkey Festival close up? An
entertaining video and further
photos are available under
www.tourismus.li/
donkeyfestival