The Contrada of Goose won the Palio on July 2nd
Posted on 05. Jul, 2011 by admin in Archive, Culture, Events
On Saturday 2nd July took place the traditional Palio di Provenzano (in honour of the Madonna di Provenzano), the first important event in Siena this year for contrade. It was a dramatic edition caused by some accidents (some tests were postponed because of the rain) and above all the death of the horse Messi of Contrada of Snail (Chiocciola), in the morning of 1st July.
It was a tragedy that strokes everyone, because the Palio di Siena is an historical institution renowned worldwide an a lot of debates are ongoing about the horses safe.
During the second round of the square, due to a wrong path, the horse Messi bumped with violence and unfortunately it was impossible to heal him. As the Major of Siena, Franco Ceccuzzi, said “ The Palio isn’t a competition but is a metaphor for life and can be a victim by fatality that hits, also with cruelty, who is engaged with fondness to anticipate every incident”.
The carriera (this is the name of the horse races) of 2nd July was held in regard of rules and tradition, and the winner was the only Contrada with the same colors of Italian flag, green, white and red: the Goose (l’Oca) and his jockey Giovanni Atzeni, nicknamed Tittia, on the 6 aged bay mare horse Mississippi. Is the second win in 4 years for Tittia, a great result in the occasion of 150th anniversary of Italian unification, and a way to celebrate, one more time again, the festival of all the Senese people.
The Contrada of Goose, furthermore, is the Contrada of Saint Catherine of Siena, born in Fontebranda district; is one of the Noble Contrade also because helped to built the typical Senese waterworks, the “bottini”. About historical rivalries, the competitor of Goose is Tower, an enmity really heated, although no one remember the origins of that.
The celebrations are also ongoing and give appointment to the second Palio of the year, on 16th August in Piazza del Campo: other great emotions are waiting for us and will be the chance to visit all the city and discover the wonders of Tuscany, running between history and innovation.
Aira
Feb 14th, 2012
I think you’ve just captured the aswner perfectly