Palio

Hamm

Hamm

At the Start
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On the subject in another thread of possibly going to Florence, part of the trip would be to go to Siena to see the Palio. Any thoughts?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzKAxEx4I2Q

I have read reports re cruelty but is it fair to put these in the same bucket as those for the Grand National?

Anyone been?

Ps, Bar the Bull paid me a fiver to make this a new topic rather than put it in the holiday thread..
 
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You probably should go and form your own opinion on the cruelty accusations.

Would be rude not to go if you were in the vicinity, 'tis one of them iconic events that everybody should go to once.

Saying that I don't think I'll ever get to Aintree for the National.
 
Bigger crowds for the Palio, aren't there? The horses gallop very fast and are yanked around the twists and turns of the streets, so they can slip on the cobbles at times - I assume some may get injured. Don't know what the fatality rate is - might be a bit like Market Rasen's beginners' chases. Only seen some shots of the event on film - it sounds incredibly rackety and it's very tribal, since the horses' riders carry the standards of local places. Lots of jostling, shouting, drinking, and probably a few punch-ups. So, pretty much like any Friday night in the average British town, but rather more colourful.
 
The local paper in Perugia had a report a few days ago of a doping scandal concerning the horses running in the Palio and similar events.
 
The Palio is truly crazy.

About a dozen or so horses race around the cobbled pavement that circles the Campo in the middle of Sienna. A circuit is probably not much more than a quarter-mile, and I think there's about three or four laps in the race. The Campo is undulating and sourrounded by buildings on every side, and the only place a horse has to go if he gets a turn wrong, is under other horses or into the crowd.

The buildings are incredibly close to the track and heave with people on bleachers and hanging out of balconies etc, and the centre of the Campo is packed to the gunnels with other spectators - all of them donning the colours of their local contradas, and creating the kind of racket you'd think would unsettle most horses. It's Tally medieval mentalism at it's best. Family, honour and all that shit, crammed into a chaotic two-minute horserace........unless you count the ridiculously drawn-out start.

We were strongly advised to watch it on the goggler, rather than take our 2yo nipper along, and after seeing the build-up and race on TV, I'm glad we didn't take the chance. If you're sans kids, then I'd say to fill yer boots.
 
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Grasshopper said:
The Palio is truly crazy.

About a dozen or so horses race around the cobbled pavement that circles the Campo in the middle of Sienna. A circuit is probably not much more than a quarter-mile, and I think there's about three or four laps in the race. The Campo is undulating and sourrounded by buildings on every side, and the only place a horse has to go if he gets a turn wrong, is under other horses or into the crowd.

The buildings are incredibly close to the track and heave with people on bleachers and hanging out of balconies etc, and the centre of the Campo is packed to the gunnels with other spectators - all of them donning the colours of their local contradas, and creating the kind of racket you'd think would unsettle most horses. It's Tally medieval mentalism at it's best. Family, honour and all that shit, crammed into a chaotic two-minute horserace........unless you count the ridiculously drawn-out start.

We were strongly advised to watch it on the goggler, rather than take our 2yo nipper along, and after seeing the build-up and race on TV, I'm glad we didn't take the chance. If you're sans kids, then I'd say to fill yer boots.
Click to expand...

Cheers for that. Sounds incredible. Not something you'd forget in a hurry I'd say. I think I may book something in the next day or so.
 
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