Palio of His

The Palio of His ( Palio delle Contrade ), is most known of Palio Italian. It is a horse-race, which is twice a year held (on July 2nd - Palio di Provenzano - and on August 16th - Palio dell' Assunta-) in the town of His. Each riding couple/horse represents one of the seventeen districts of the city. A large parade precedes the race which attracts spectators of the whole world.

The September 9th 2000 took place moreover Palio jubilaire (extraordinary) at the time of the Jubilé of the year 2000. (His is on the Via Francigena, road of the pilgrims going to Rome).

The horses and the riders raise the colors and arm with their districts, one finds there: Aquila (Eagle), Bruco (Caterpillar), Chiocciola (Snail), Civetta (Owl), Drago (Dragon), Giraffa (Giraffe), Istrice (Porcupine), Leocorno (Unicorn), Lupa (She-wolf), Nicchio (Shell), Oca (Goose), Onda (Vague), Pantera (Pantère), Selva (Forest), Tartuca (Tortoise), Torre (Turn) and Valdimontone (Ram).

Contrade di Siena -->

History

Oldest Palio known date from the Middle Ages. The central place accommodated often warlike plays: pugna , a species of match of boxing; tournaments; and as of the 16th century of the engagements with bulls.
The races in public organized by the districts, were popular as of the 14th century. Called palii went lunga , they crossed all the city.

When the Grand Duke of Tuscany prohibited the engagements with the bulls in 1590, the Contrade organized races on the Piazza del Campo. The first races were made with back buflonnes, they were called bufalate ; later races with back of asses and finally of the horse-races were organized.
The first form of Palio Moderne (called palio tonda went to distinguish it from oldest the palii went lunga ) took place around 1650. At the beginning of only one race, the July 2nd was organized, it is only later that the second, the August 16th was added.

The race today

The first race, Palio di Provenzano , is held on July 2nd, which corresponds to the old date of the Visitation and to a local festival in the honor of the Madonna de Provenzano, a painting formerly held by the Sienan chief Provenzano Salvani with the supposed healing virtues.

The second race (August 16th), is held the following day of the Assomption and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. After certain very important events, the Sienan community, can decide to hold third Palio between May and September.

The race starts with 10 horses. What means, that only 10 districts out of 17 can be represented with each race. The seven representatives of districts which did not take share with the last of the same race dates one year earlier, are automatically included and three of more are selected by chance. Three days before the race, of the private owners offer the choice of their stables or the representatives of the districts choose ten horses of equivalent qualities. A drawing lot determines which horse will run for which Contrada . Six test runs are run, the first, the evening of the selection of the horses, and the last the morning after Palio. The residents believers of each Contrada call upon the assistance of their patron saint for their horses and jockeys. Certain recourse to the doping are also used.

The race is preceded by a spectacular parade, called " Procession historique" , where ravel, among many others, the Alfieri , flag-holder, in medieval costumes. Before that, a Section assembled Carabinieri , carrying sabers, make a load of cavalry on the track.
The spectators arrive early the morning, and fill up the center of the place, inside the track until saturation. Seats, sold a long time in advance, can also be present. It is also possible to rent places on the balconies of the surrounding buildings.

The race is announced with 19:30 in July and 7 p.m. in August, with the detonation of an explosive load. The protagonists, who ride bareback, make three towers of the place. At the beginning, only nine horses can be aligned on the same line, the tenth (called rincorsa ) share behind the nine others. The departure is given by the Mossiere , which must wait until all the horses are in position. When that (with difficulty) is done, it actuates a mechanism which removes the canapo (the starting cord).

On the track, dangerously slipping, the riders have the right to make use of their riding crop to strike the other horses and riders. The winner, is the first horse, which finishes the race with its intact ornaments of heads. It is not necessary that the rider finishes the race (what is frequent). The loser of the race is the district which finishes second and not the last.

The winner receives painted a silk flag, called palio , designed especially for each race. Though enthusiasm after the victory is extreme, the handing-over of the prices is immediate. Brawls between partisans of various districts occur sometimes.
the losers are often ridiculed by the winners.

There are some risks for the spectators. Principal criticisms come from defense associations of the animals, and the veterinary surgeons who protest against the ill treatments made with the horses: wounds and even sometimes death. In August 2004, the horse of the contrada of Bruco fell and was trampled because the race was not stopped. The horse died as of its wounds, causing various complaints of leagues of protection of the animals.

See too

Random links: