23rd horse-drawn carriage pilgrimage held in Marija Bistrica

More than a hundred carriages and around 250 riders from throughout Croatia, as well as guests from neighboring countries, participated in the 23rd horse-drawn carriage and rider procession at the Marian shrine of the Black Madonna in Marija Bistrica today. The pilgrimage honors the long-standing tradition of the Zagorje region.

This year's procession started from the railway station in Zlatar Bistrica, and ended at the shrine where mass was served and the horses blessed. Among this year’s participants was rider Mario Jagnjić from the village of Brnaze in the Dalmatian hinterland: “This is something that you never forget. We're thrilled with everything, the horses, the people, everything.”

Rider Josip Valec, who came from Koprivnica-Križevci County for the pilgrimage, noted that the traditional use for horses has long since passed, but the love for these animals has not: “Horses are no longer used for work. You keep them for your soul, out of love. Once they get under your skin, you can never let them go. Once you feel it you can never go back.”

Also on hand for the pilgrimage was Krapina-Zagorje County Prefect Željko Kolar: “This is a big event for Zagorje and our breeders. A lot of effort is invested into this pilgrimage, and we always have guests from Hungary, Austria, Slovenia and throughout Croatia.”

For Deputy Prime Minister and Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister David Vlajčić, the pilgrimage has an important symbolic value: “This event is a symbol of horse breeding in Croatia. It gathers our most numerous breeds of horse, the Croatian Coldblood and the Croatian Posavac. It symbol of horse breeding, which is a significant sector in our agriculture.”

Source: HRT