Pontelandolfo Hosts International Competition!

This unusual competition takes strength, precision and a passion for the past. La Ruzzola is an ancient game played in the streets of Italy. Members of a squadra, team, toss wheels of cheese down a course. Originally it was a well aged pecorino cheese. The early players were probably farmers and shepherds – pecorino cheese is made from sheep’s milk. The winner sent the cheese soaring down a path the farthest. Today, the goal is to reach a specific point with the least number of tosses. I heard someone in the crowd watching the day I was there say it reminded them a bit of golf.

This is a serious sport. Team shirts, buses, fans and all the trappings of a sport were seen in Pontelandolfo this past weekend. Fifty teams from throughout Italy filled the village on Saturday. Some didn’t qualify for Sunday and took their cheese home.

The sport is regulated by the Federazione Italiana Giochi e Sport Tradizionali e dall’European Traditional Sports and Game Association. What is not regulated are the dogs who dashed into the street chasing the rolling cheese. Or the spectator who took a flop when a huge wheel of cheese hit him in the legs. Don’t stand so close!

I could talk about how glorious it was on an October weekend to what happened a sport that is so unique. I could ramble on and on about the feeling of comradeship. Or talk about the fun I had watching out of town guests amble up the street following the action. I could but isn’t it better to watch this –

See you in Pontelandolfo (BN), the best village in the world of cheese throwing.

Ci vediamo.

Midge