Asti's Palio, overshadowed by the more famous race in Siena, started in 1275 and predates the Siena race by more than 300 years.
But it's so much more than a horse race...
For at least the week before the horse race, each of the 21 participating Rione (urban parishes) and burgos (nearby villages) deck themselves out in their neighborhood colors.
Fourteen of the 21 neighborhoods are from within the city. They are very competitive when it comes to the Palio.
The seven burgos are looking for a chance to play spoiler.
The morning of the race, the first event is the blessing of the horses.
The horse representing each neighborhood shows up at the parish church for the benediction.
Then came the show by the sbandieratori (flag throwers).
The show demonstrates increasingly complex and intricate maneuvers.
See what we mean?
Then the parade starts...
Neighborhood by neighborhood....
....each dressed in the colors of his Rione....
...the lords and ladies...
...their foot soldiers
and damsels...
...even the jailer and his prisoners.
Spectators jammed the parade route five and six deep. It seemed as if half the city of Asti was there...
...while the other half was at the horse race.
Two preliminary races...three laps each around the triangular course... and then the top finishers from the prelim in the finals.
Remember, the jockeys were riding their horses bareback....
...so in each heat there were horses that finished without their riders.
The Kentucky Derby doesn't have to worry about the competition.
But the fans sure got into it.
The winning parish gets to take home this flag and display it prominently for a year.
This year's winner was Pizza Monferrato...a small town 26 km east of Asti.
It was their first win in 23 years.
All in all, it's quite a spectacle.
Carol, a great way to start my day. Our parades pale by comparison! Thanks! Richard
ReplyDeleteWhat colorful pageantry!
ReplyDeleteSo colorful and full of spirit! Our neighborhood a potluck block party...Pleasant, but not quite the same!
ReplyDeleteReby