Italy's brutal horse races
Il Palio di Ronciglione
'Palio di Ronciglione' is a medieval horse race - in all senses of the term.
The "free play" of Ronciglione, also called "Palio di Ronciglione" is a riderless horse race that takes place in the center of the homonymous town located in the province of Viterbo, about 70 km north of Rome.
Like the Palio di Siena, the races take on the character of a dispute derby. The nine districts (racing) of the city each have two horses who compete for prizes in two days of racing.
The race starts from the square where the Town Hall is, and runs along the central axis of the city whose base consists of asphalt and cobblestones. The race is held twice a year: one in summer and one winter. Most accidents occur in winter (coinciding with Carnival) due to the intrinsic hazard of the course, and making it even worse: the road surface is often wet from the rain. The critical points are passing through the narrow passage formed by the "Porta Romana" after which the horses accelerate along the Via Roma and semicurve consists of the so-called "curva del Gricio", a curve at 45 degrees uphill between the houses. In this curve, it is not uncommon that at least one horse does not lose control of the trajectory and fall.
Like the Palio di Siena, the races take on the character of a dispute derby. The nine districts (racing) of the city each have two horses who compete for prizes in two days of racing.
The race starts from the square where the Town Hall is, and runs along the central axis of the city whose base consists of asphalt and cobblestones. The race is held twice a year: one in summer and one winter. Most accidents occur in winter (coinciding with Carnival) due to the intrinsic hazard of the course, and making it even worse: the road surface is often wet from the rain. The critical points are passing through the narrow passage formed by the "Porta Romana" after which the horses accelerate along the Via Roma and semicurve consists of the so-called "curva del Gricio", a curve at 45 degrees uphill between the houses. In this curve, it is not uncommon that at least one horse does not lose control of the trajectory and fall.
In March 2011, the Ministry of Health had refused to authorize the carrying out of the race due to, among other things, the lack of coverage of the road surface with suitable material. Despite the lack of authorization, despite the fact that the rain had made the road even more dangerous, the organizers felt the need, however, to compete on wet roads and in one incident, a mare named Tiffany, died crashing into one of the fences.
Palio di Siena
The Palio di Siena (known locally simply as Il Palio) is a horse race that is held twice each year, on July 2 and August 16, in Siena, Italy. Ten horses and riders, bareback and dressed in the appropriate colours, represent ten of the seventeen contrade, or city wards.
The Palio held on July 2 is named Palio di Provenzano, in honour of the Madonna of Provenzano, who has a church in Siena. The Palio held on August 16 is named Palio dell'Assunta, in honour of the Assumption of Mary.
A magnificent pageant, the Corteo Storico, precedes the race, which attracts visitors and spectators from around the world.
The race itself, in which the jockeys ride bareback, circles the Piazza del Campo, on which a thick layer of dirt has been laid, three times and usually lasts no more than 90 seconds. It is not uncommon for a few of the jockeys to be thrown off their horses while making the treacherous turns in the piazza, and indeed, it is not unusual to see unmounted horses finishing the race without their jockeys.
The Palio held on July 2 is named Palio di Provenzano, in honour of the Madonna of Provenzano, who has a church in Siena. The Palio held on August 16 is named Palio dell'Assunta, in honour of the Assumption of Mary.
A magnificent pageant, the Corteo Storico, precedes the race, which attracts visitors and spectators from around the world.
The race itself, in which the jockeys ride bareback, circles the Piazza del Campo, on which a thick layer of dirt has been laid, three times and usually lasts no more than 90 seconds. It is not uncommon for a few of the jockeys to be thrown off their horses while making the treacherous turns in the piazza, and indeed, it is not unusual to see unmounted horses finishing the race without their jockeys.
Origins
The earliest known antecedents of the race are medieval. The town's central piazza was the site of public games, largely combative: pugna, a sort of many-sided boxing match or brawl; jousting; and in the 16th century, bullfights. Public races organized by the contrade were popular from the 14th century on; called palii alla lunga, they were run across the whole city.
When the Grand Duke of Tuscany outlawed bullfighting in 1590, the contrade took to organizing races in the Piazza del Campo. The first such races were on buffalo-back and called bufalate; asinate, races on donkey-back, later took their place, while horse racing continued elsewhere. The first modern Palio (called palio alla tonda to distinguish it from the earlier (palii alla lunga) took place in 1656.
A second Palio in August
At first, one race was held each year, on July 2. A second, on August 16, was added from 1701, though initially, the August race was run intermittently rather than every year. The August race (il palio dell'Assunta), which coincided with the Feast of the Assumption, was probably introduced "spontaneously" as part of the feasting and celebration associated with this important festival. August 16 was presumably chosen because the other days of the mid-August canonical festival, the 14th and 15th of the month, were already taken up respectively by the Corteo dei Ceri (Procession of the Ceri) and by the census.
The August Palio started out as an extension of the celebrations of the July Palio and was organized and funded by July's winning contrada, though only if the contrada in question could afford it. After 1802, however, organisation and funding the August race became a central responsibility of the city, which removed annual uncertainty over whether or not an August Palio would run.
It was originated in 1581 on August 15.
The earliest known antecedents of the race are medieval. The town's central piazza was the site of public games, largely combative: pugna, a sort of many-sided boxing match or brawl; jousting; and in the 16th century, bullfights. Public races organized by the contrade were popular from the 14th century on; called palii alla lunga, they were run across the whole city.
When the Grand Duke of Tuscany outlawed bullfighting in 1590, the contrade took to organizing races in the Piazza del Campo. The first such races were on buffalo-back and called bufalate; asinate, races on donkey-back, later took their place, while horse racing continued elsewhere. The first modern Palio (called palio alla tonda to distinguish it from the earlier (palii alla lunga) took place in 1656.
A second Palio in August
At first, one race was held each year, on July 2. A second, on August 16, was added from 1701, though initially, the August race was run intermittently rather than every year. The August race (il palio dell'Assunta), which coincided with the Feast of the Assumption, was probably introduced "spontaneously" as part of the feasting and celebration associated with this important festival. August 16 was presumably chosen because the other days of the mid-August canonical festival, the 14th and 15th of the month, were already taken up respectively by the Corteo dei Ceri (Procession of the Ceri) and by the census.
The August Palio started out as an extension of the celebrations of the July Palio and was organized and funded by July's winning contrada, though only if the contrada in question could afford it. After 1802, however, organisation and funding the August race became a central responsibility of the city, which removed annual uncertainty over whether or not an August Palio would run.
It was originated in 1581 on August 15.
The race today
The first race (Palio di Provenzano) is held on July 2, which is both the Feast of the Visitation and the date of a local festival in honour of the Madonna of Provenzano (a painting once owned by the Sienese leader Provenzano Salvani, which was supposed to have miraculous curative power). The second race is held on August 16 (Palio dell'Assunta), the day after the Feast of the Assumption, and is likewise dedicated to the Virgin Mary. After exceptional events (e.g., the Apollo 11 moon landing) and on important anniversaries (e.g., the centennial of the Unification of Italy), the Sienese community may decide to hold a third Palio between May and September. The most recent was in 2000 to mark the millennium.
The field consists of ten horses, so not all seventeen contrade can take part in the Palio on any occasion. The seven contrade that did not take part in that month of the previous year are automatically included; three more are chosen by draw (twice a year, in the last days of May and at the beginning of July). Private owners (among them, some jockeys) offer the pick of their stables, selected during the year after trial races, other Palio races in Italy and veterinary examination, from which main representatives of the participating contrade, the Capitani, choose ten of approximately equal quality, three days before the race. A lottery then determines which horse will run for each contrada. Six trial races are run, the first on the evening of the horse selection and the last on the morning before the Palio. The devout residents of each contrada, known as contradaioli, invoke the sacred aid of their patron saint for their horse and jockey.
The worldly improve their odds with arguably dubious methods, chiefly bribery and doping. The sensible simply keep a close watch on their stable and their rider. The horses are of mixed breed; no purebred horses are allowed.
The above is an excerpt from Wikipedia - to read the entire article, please click here.
Take action!
Please sign the petition from the 'Italian Horse Protection Association'
The petition letter:
To the Italian Prime Minister
To the Health Minister
To the Tourism Minister
To the Undersecretary to the Health Ministry
The numerous palii using animals – mostly horses - held in Italy every year have always been defended in the name of an alleged respect of traditions.
In reality, the amount of money moved by these events and the huge number of serious incidents demonstrate the existence of interests that don't take in any account the wellbeing on the animals involved.
We believe traditions must evolve alongside the growth of sensibility, and that Italy deserves to be considered a country capable to express a cultural progress. We thus ask to put an end to this barbarous heritage of the past and ban the use of animals in the palii.
To the Italian Prime Minister
To the Health Minister
To the Tourism Minister
To the Undersecretary to the Health Ministry
The numerous palii using animals – mostly horses - held in Italy every year have always been defended in the name of an alleged respect of traditions.
In reality, the amount of money moved by these events and the huge number of serious incidents demonstrate the existence of interests that don't take in any account the wellbeing on the animals involved.
We believe traditions must evolve alongside the growth of sensibility, and that Italy deserves to be considered a country capable to express a cultural progress. We thus ask to put an end to this barbarous heritage of the past and ban the use of animals in the palii.