Ringreiten Joldelund

A North German Specialty Discipline

Ringreiten is a skill-based equestrian discipline practiced throughout North Frisia and Southern Denmark during the summer months. Its roots trace back to medieval tournament traditions, and by the 18th century, riders began organizing into Ringreitergilden with their own statutes. Today, nearly every village in the Schleswig-Holstein region has its own guild, with a well-established competition calendar running from May to September.

How Does It Work?

Riders gallop under a wooden gallows from which a brass ring, 12 to 25 millimeters in diameter, hangs. Using a lance approximately two meters long, they attempt to spear the ring as they pass. The rider who successfully hits the most small 'king's rings' is crowned the guild's King or Queen. Joldelund varies the format with two additional disciplines: classic skittles and bicycle ring riding, where the same game is played on a bicycle instead of a horse.

Organizers and Location

The organizer is the Freiwillige Feuerwehr Joldelund-Kolkerheide (Joldelund-Kolkerheide Volunteer Fire Brigade). The small municipality of Joldelund is located in the district of Nordfriesland in the state of Schleswig-Holstein, about 15 kilometers east of Bredstedt, and belongs to the Amt Mittleres Nordfriesland. The festival grounds are on the Grüne Weg in the village center. The event traditionally begins early in the morning to allow ample time for the competitions.

Embedded in a Two-Part Event Weekend

The weekend in Joldelund is a traditional double event: on Friday, the Kinderringreiten (children's ring riding) for the younger generation, and on Saturday, the main event. Families from all over the Nordfriesland district travel to attend, and many residents decorate their houses with garlands and birch greenery.