On Abruzzo’s High Plains, a Pastoral Celebration

Bare-chested, bearded Sergio, with brightly luminous blue eyes and a twinkling grin, was one of the shepherds showing his herd of sheep (450 in the herd, about 50 goats included) at the four-day August Rassegna degli Ovini (Sheep Show) of Campo Imperatore (“The Emperor’s Plain”), high (just over 1500 m) in the Abruzzo mountains.

And all the shepherds’ herds – in temporary wire fences – were guarded by their noble-looking white Maremmano sheep dogs, some with anti-wolf collars which looked like some sort of medieval torture gadget. The dogs encircled the herds of goats and sheep, tinkling bells on the necks of some, others with clanging larger bells.

Sergio sat on a stool behind their camper, chatting with friends and well-wishers while bouncing grandchildren Georgia and Piero on his knees (both vying for “Nonno” space). Daughter Morena served snacks and drinks to visitors and I chatted with her brothers Alfredo and Mirco, both working the herds with their father, “since we could walk”, they told me.

When I asked them if them could imagine a different life, they shook their heads in unison. “We need the air, the freedom, Nature all around, “ was how Alfredo put it. Their father, Sergio, told me he that he too was on the mountains with his shepherd father as a young tot. When I asked about the difficulties of a shepherd’s life today, he immediately narrowed down two issues: “ Taxes – too many” and “Water – too little,” for sizzling summers now mean the need to transport water with cistern trucks. “That’s expensive, “ he told me and when I replied, “..and that’s one reasons pecorino is getting so expensive, “ he nodded agreement with a resigned shrug.

For over fifty years now, Abruzzo has celebrated her shepherds and swiftly-disappearing pastoral traditions in early August with the four-day Rassegna degli Ovini di Campo Imperatore. Jagged mountain peaks like reclining giants encircle the “Emperor’s Plain” where clutches of peaked white tents sidle up to the fenced herds of sheep and goats with their vigilant Maremmano guardians, stretched out and panting.

Parents with children by the hand wander from fence-to-fence, photographing unusual goat breeds, perhaps asking the shepherds about wool or cheese production.
In one fence, sheep were being tagged and marked: just sold to another shepherd.

In the corner of one “corral,” a clutch of furry white balls draws the children: young Maremmano pups.

During the morning, meanders take visitors from fences to the peaked white tents for tastes of pastoral – and not only – abruzzese goodness. Pecorino (sheep’s milk) cheeses of endless varieties lead the culinary litany – aged in hay or in grape leaves, rolled in cumin or sesame seeds or chives, aged three months or a year – or longer (if you like the bite).

At a couple tents, you can taste goat’s milk cheeses, too.

Porchetta is never missing at a central-Italy festival. At Gianluca’s stand, we ordered porchetta sandwiches with a robust vino rosso locale.

A nearby stand offered paper cones filled with salami, capocollo, dried sausage nibbles to carry around and munch as you strolled stand-to-stand.

One stand’s goods please the eye as well as the palate: white garlic braids intermingle with red chili pepper strings, pale green mountain oregano bunches, purple Tropea onion bunches

Sweets are not missing – and in this shepherd’s festival, a booth selling naturally-dyed wools and hand-made sheep’s wool objects is there, too.

As you munch and wander, you’ll hear pastoral music: organetti played by a young couple and a tall mustached bagpiper in traditional costume played the traditional shepherd’s bagpipes – la zampogna – the sack made of sheep’s skin or goat’s skin

During the festivities, awards were presented to rassegna shepherds and Alfredo climbed the improvised stage to receive a prize in the name of the De Paulis family. Time for a quick photo with his wife and tiny daughter before they moved their herd out, heading back to Paganica. About thirty minutes away by car, Alfredo’s trek on foot with the herd would be a long one.

Most of the other shepherds and their herds moved out in early afternoon, too – long treks ahead – and Maremmano sheep dog commanding barks answered the shepherd masters’ piercing whistles, blending with the tinkling, clanging bells of bleating goats and sheep.

We took our last photos of the pastoral diaspora and then headed home, following winding roads through Abruzzo mountain majesty.
Here and there, a herd moved slowly off in the distance – but too far away to hear the tinkling bells, barking dogs, shepherds’ pierce whistles.

Read about nearby Rocca di Calascio
Read about Santo Stefano di Sessanio and the albergo diffuso there
Read more on why we love Abruzzo
Read about the Abruzzo earthquake
Read more on L’Aquila and the Abruzzo earthquake damage
Read about another Abruzzo town