The Toughest Horse Race In The World

Many years back, we were in Sienna the day before the Late-Summer Palio was run. It is all a bit crazy, and should make for compulsive viewing.

Il Draco contrada (Maroon, Green, Gold) won the year we were there. Pick your colours.
 
I went last summer - it was a blast! 15 false starts but an incredible experience. The Italians sure know how to do pageantry!
 
Thanks for flagging that, DG. I watched most of it with my mouth open. Amazing stuff, I've not seen anything like it since the races in Oughterard.

I wonder if the winning rider Giovanni Atzeni is related to Andrea. Both are from Sardinia.
 
Do you know Grey I thought the same with the surname.
Agreed I was gobsmacked watching, great stuff. Palio is now on my bucket list!
 
Tanlic said:
Crowd looks in more danger than the horse......btw Giovanni Atzeni is German born
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His mother is German and his father worked there for a time but he grew up in Sardinia. Anyway it appears that he and Andrea are not related; I found an article in a Sardinian paper about the pair of them being successful jockeys, doing the island proud out in the wider world, but there's no suggestion of them being related.
 
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