This article is also available in Italian

After the extraordinary success in Germany of the documentary “Sizilien zu Pferd”, with over 10,000 views on the web, the first group of German horse riders arrived in Sicily.
Cristina Hess, the co-author with Franco Barbagallo of the documentary, accompanied a group of German riders in a week of travel in the Sicani Mountains organised by the Azienda Traina in Prizzi. From 24 September to 1 October, they had a stay based on “Horse, Yoga and … Sicilian experiences” that met their enthusiasm.
The varied program included a daily yoga session taught by an instructor in English and German, an extended excursion on horseback, and a cultural Sicilian traditional experience. The participants were enchanted by the visit on horseback to the valley of the Sosio River and various other wild corners of the Sicani Mountains, then guided tours of the villages of Prizzi and Palazzo Adriano, practice in the cooking of arancini and ricotta cannoli, wine tasting and visiting museums and exhibitions. Then the discovery of “Sicily at the table”, between sumptuous meals with traditional dishes cooked by the talented cook Elisa. The group was led by the owner Francesco Traina and Anna Maria Bosshard, his valuable and capable collaborator.
This is the first step of the “Azienda Traina Project”, an exemplary “work in progress” prototype of how the future of horse breeding in Sicily should be organised to open up to the world and become economically sustainable, finally. We will talk about it in detail in future articles.
The following spring, other groups of Germans will come to Sicily, involving other Sicilian operators.
After years of a constant and slavish propination of expensive and smoky “Panem et Circenses”, authentic mirrors for larks, Sicily Equestrian Park of the Mediterranean, without the slightest public interest, albeit requested and solicited, or public financing, is demonstrating what it means to work seriously to solve the actual problems of the “Sicilian Horse System”, step by step.
The next ones? We’ll tell you soon.

Text by Franco Barbagallo. Photos by Christina Hess.

Those wishing to make excursions and tourist experiences in Sicani can contact the Azienda Traina at:
Rural Tourism Accommodations and Horse farm:
Facebook and Instagram: Azienda Agricola Traina
Info@aziendaagricolatraina.it
www.aziendaagricolatraina.it
Mobile: +39 339 459 4895

Trek & Tour on horseback:
Facebook and Instagram:
Sikani Horse Trek
Info@sikanihorsetrek.com
www.sikanihorsetrek.com
Mobile: +39 339 459 4895