Third Easter Monday title for Ozone

Award ceremony: (from left) Franz Egger, Sara Moser on Rexi, Helene Zöggeler with her son Philipp, veterinarian Dr Alessandro Botte, Richard Plack, Haflinger Queen Andrea Aster, Clara Martone, Paul Alber, Raiffeisenbank Meran’s market area’s director, Albert Erschbamer, Kathrin Erschbamer on Ozone, Evi Erschbamer, Hiltraud Neuhauser Erschbamer, Gianni Martone, Christoph Zöggeler, Vice President of the South Tyrol Haflinger Sports Association, Manfred Tschigg on Tooley, Franziska Götsch and friends

Ringing in the 2018 racing season, this year's traditional Easter Monday Haflinger Gallop Races took place on 02 April 2018 in Maia Bassa/Untermais. Now in its 122nd edition, the event was organised by the South Tyrol Haflinger Sports Association in collaboration with the City Council of Merano/Meran, the local Tourist Office and Merano Galoppo GmbH.
Some 6000 visitors from near and far lined up to marvel at splendidly adorned Haflinger horses parading through the city centre in the morning – and spent the afternoon hanging on the edge of their seats as the fastest fair-haired mares this side of the Alps fought for gold. Building up to the final heat, the racing schedule consisted of three preliminary rounds in the Older Mares category, a shorter race covering a distance of 1200 km, one round for four-year old mares and another two for three-year olds.

The much-anticipated final heat featured the 12 fastest horses from the previous races. With owner Kathrin Erschbamer in the saddle, Ozone secured the title for the third time in a row, winning ahead of Manfred Tschigg and Tooley (owner: Christoph Zöggeler) and Helene Zöggeler’s Rexi, who came in third with Sara Moser in the saddle.

Results