At present, the Lipizzan (lipicai) horse-breed belongs to the few exclusive horse-breeds of the world. The horse stud where the breed was created was established in Lipica situated on a karst plateau near Trieste (in today's Slovenia) in the 16th century.
During the Napoleonic wars the stud was fled to Hungary on two occasions. The breeding of the Lipizzan full blood has been carried out on the basis of the same breeding principle for more than 430 years. As a result, it has a uniform appearance, constitutional sturdiness, it is eligible to be used for military, civil and agricultural use and even for equestrian purposes these days.
It plays a substantial role in Hungarian coach-driving and in dressage. The Lipizzan appears in performing arts, too, in freehorsestyle and in horse theatres. Lipizzans are kept by several private horse breeders throughout Hungary, but the central gene pool is located in the stock of the State Stud Farm Szilvásvárad, which is also the venue of practical training and research.
The responsible institution for the professional coordinating of the UNESCO Convention in Hungary:
Directorate of Intangible Cultural Heritage, Hungarian Open Air Museum
