There were splendid rides to be marveled at again this year.
Leonhardi was celebrated at the weekend in Schongau, Rottenbuch and Reichling.
There were devotions in the open air.
District
- It is a lived and loved tradition in the Schongauer Land: The Leonhardiritt is a pilgrimage to pause.
After the corona-related break last year, rides could take place again this year.
In
Schongau
, therefore, at the devotion on the Mayor-Schaegger-Platz, many a Rosserer gave a silent thank you "upstairs".
"It is a bond between faith and tradition," said Deacon Hans Steinhilber, who himself took part in the tour on horseback.
City pastor Norbert Marxer described the animals as "our valuable capital, which we must protect and, above all, recognize their value."
“A lot and cheap kills us”, so his admonishing words.
Franz Reßle junior led the train through the city.
as a cross bearer, followed by Hanna, Antonia with son Franz and Vroni Reßle.
The Leonhardiritt is a tradition in the whole family.
Father Franz Reßle sen.
drove the Landauer, in which pastor Norbert Marxer and mayor Falk Sluyterman had taken their seats.
Followed by the carriage with the acolytes.
The chest wagon with the traditional women is always a feast for the eyes.
The organizers were also in a good mood.
In addition, there were of course the riders, who always enrich the tour with their presence.
This time, however, the delegation from Forst was excused.
According to old tradition, they have always celebrated their tour there on the day of Saint Leonhard, November 6th.
Since it fell exactly on this Saturday this year, they stayed away from the Schongau event.
But there should be a reunion in the coming year.
Leonhardiritt in Reichling
In bright sunshine,
Ross and Reiter
also
marched
through the village
in
Reichling
on Saturday in
honor of Saint Leonhard.
In addition to the around 80 beautifully dressed up horses, the motif wagons caught the eye, which should not be missing on the ride in Reichling, such as the depictions of Saint Leonhard or Saint Sebastian.
In addition to the wagons and carriages, there were a lot of riders, including from Kinsau, Mühlhausen, Stoffen and Unterbeuren.
Participants and spectators were happy about the best conditions: everyone could see beaming faces.
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Carriage ride at the Leonhardiritt in Reichling.
© Manuela Schmid
Pastor Michael Vogg and Pastor Heiko Heyer, who was a guest from the diocese of Mainz, greeted the guests from one of the honorary carriages after the mass - as did the deputy district administrator and former mayor Margit Horner-Spindler and mayor Johannes Leis.
After moving through the village, everyone met at the Bruckberg.
There the horses received the blessing from the clergy.
The chairman of the Leonhardi Brotherhood, Erich Graf, was happy about the successful festival and the beautiful parade.
He was particularly pleased that so many spectators had come, who were scattered all over the village.
It was not a given that the festival had taken place despite the pandemic.
Mayor Leis explained that the community had previously canceled many other appointments and had consulted the health department twice before the festive day in Reichling.
There were a little fewer participants this year due to the circumstances, but the community hopes that everything can take place again in the usual context next year.
Leonhardiritt in Rottenbuch
Mayor Markus Bader was happy to say that
there was a “really beautiful and worthy Leonhardiritt” on Sunday morning in
Rottenbuch
.
Everything was fine, including the weather, and so numerous participants and spectators came to the place.
“150 horses were there,” says Bader.
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These participants were in costume at the Leonhardiritt in Rottenbuch.
© Hans-Helmut Herold
Pastor Josef Fegg gave the sermon on Fohlenmarkt-Platz in Bavarian poetry, coordinated with Rottenbuch and Leonhardi.
This was so well received by the church service attendees that applause broke out spontaneously, reports the mayor.
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A highlight during the tour in Rottenbuch: The model of the Echelsbacher Bridge was on display on a wagon.
© Hans-Helmut Herold
Another highlight of the tour: the restored model of the Echelsbach Bridge from 1930 could be seen on a carriage.
Bader thanked Gabriel Heiland and Andreas Keller in a speech, who had brought the model into shape.
The image was also very popular with the Leonhardiritt visitors.
After the tour, some took a closer look at the model.
So the event slowly ended in the afternoon.
BY HANS-HELMUT HEROLD, ELENA SIEGL AND MANUELA SCHMID
