Hunters' Ball in pictures

More political celebrities on the prowl than at the Opera Ball

Christa Kummer welcomed Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker, Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner, and Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig, who believes: "The Hunters' Ball is the secret number one event in Vienna!"(Bild: Alexander Tuma)

On Monday, the 103rd Hunters' Ball of the Green Cross Association invited guests to dance: the Vienna Hofburg and the Spanish Riding School were the venues for exuberant celebrations under the motto "Sound of the Mountains – Dance of the Valleys." An elegant declaration of love to Salzburg and the Mozart Year 2026 – we show the most beautiful pictures of the evening.

The fact that more members of the government had announced their attendance at the 103rd Hunters' Ball than at the Opera Ball may have been due to this year's host. This time, the patronage was taken over by the province of Salzburg – under the leadership of Provincial Hunting Master Maximilian Mayr-Melnhof – and brought a real crowd-puller to the Vienna Hofburg in the form of one of its most famous sons.

Chancellor Christian Stocker and Ministers Norbert Totschnig ("The Jägerball is the secret number one event in Vienna!"), Peter Hanke, Klaudia Tanner, and Claudia Bauer did not want to miss out on this either. Salzburg's famous son was, of course, none other than Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, who would have celebrated his 270th birthday this year – today, to be precise, one day after the Hunters' Ball.

You can see the evening's prominent guests in our photo gallery:

In addition to the Hüttschlag traditional music band from the Großarl Valley and the hunting horn groups from all of Salzburg's districts – Pongau, Lungau, Tennengau, Flachgau, and Pinzgau – who played traditional signals before the official opening, musical highlights were guaranteed thanks to the "star guest."

One of these was undoubtedly the virtuoso performance by exceptional violinist Lidia Baich, before the young ladies' and gentlemen's committee – led by Thomas Schäfer-Elmayer – performed a very special choreography to Mozart's "Rondo alla Turca" on the dance floor.

Relaxed hostess and prominent guests
With such a program, it was no surprise that host and president of the Green Cross, Christa Kummer, was able to start the evening in a relaxed manner. Relaxed and "proud that our commitment is once again helping numerous people in need in the hunting and forestry sectors, while at the same time contributing to the protection and preservation of our natural environment."

No wonder, then, that this year's guest list once again featured such illustrious names as Alfons Mensdorff-Pouilly, St. Margarethen director Daniel Serafin, "Krone" editor  Christoph Dichand, presenter Christine Reiler, former ORF lady Claudia Reiterer, cathedral priest Toni Faber, scene restaurateur Mario Plachutta, "Falstaff" editor Wolfgang Rosam, entrepreneur Hanno Soravia, and former minister Elisabeth Köstinger.

P.S.: Salzburg's governor Karoline Edtstadler had to decline due to scheduling conflicts (she will instead honor the Salzburg hunting community at the Pinzgauer Ball). Her deputy, Marlene Svazek, charmingly represented her in Vienna.