|
The Palio di Siena (known locally as the Palio delle contrade) is a horse race held twice each year in Siena, in which the horse and rider represent one of the seventeen contrade, city wards. Both horse and rider are dressed in the colours and arms of the wards: Aquila (Eagle), Bruco (Caterpillar), Chiocciola (Snail), Civetta (Owl), Drago (Dragon), Giraffa (Giraffe), Istrice (Porcupine), Leocorno (Unicorn), Lupa (She-Wolf), Nicchio (Shell), Oca (Goose), Onda (Wave), Pantera (Panther), Selva (Forest), Tartuca (Tortoise), Torre (Tower) and Valdimontone (Ram)
 View of the Piazza del Campo, where the Palio is run The two races, held on July 2 (Palio di Provenzano) and August 16 (Palio dell'Assunta), consist of only 10 horses, which means that only ten of the city wards can take part in the palio on any occasion.
The race itself runs thrice round the Piazza del Campo, the outer course of which is covered with several inches of dirt and the corners of which are protected with padded crash barriers for the occasion. The riders, or fantini, ride the horses bareback from the starting line, where there is only room for 9 horses. The 10th, the rincorsa, stands behind those nine. The start is given by a local authority called Mossiere, who has to wait for all the horses to be in the correct position; when this moment is (with great difficulty) achieved, he activates a mechanism that instantly removes the canapo, the starting cord. The beginning of the race is also indicated by a loud explosion.
On the dangerous track, on which several riders and horses have died, the riders are allowed to use their whips not only for their own horse, but also for disturbing other horses and riders. The winner is the first horse to cross the finish line with its head ornaments intact - the rider does not necessarily need to finish, and often does not.
The winner is awarded a banner of painted silk, called palio. The enthusiasm after the victory, however, is so extreme that the ceremony of attribution of the Palio is quite instantaneous, being the first moment of a months-long celebration for the winning ward. There are occasional outbreaks of violence between partisans of the various contrade.
After the race, a certain curiosity might traditionally regard the result of the bets that the inhabitants of each contrada (Contradaioli) made about the Palio; frequently, the losers have to publicly perform funny actions.
The race is usually preceded by a spectacular exhibition of Alfieri, flag-wavers, in medieval costumes.
Although often contested, there is no serious evidence that horses are treated with drugs before the race. Some more concrete suspects usually regard the eventual corruption of some fantini.
There have been loud complaints about horses mistreatment, damages and even deaths, especially from the animal rights associations and even from some veterinarians. In the Palio held on August 16, 2004 the horse for the contrada Bruco (caterpillar) fell and was badly stamped as the race was not stopped, despite possible additional safety risks for other horses. The horse died of its injuries, raising further complaints from animal rights organizations.
External link
|
