Ok I can see that many people here don't really know much about the event. Only 10 of the 17 districts race because all wouldn't fit in the square, so the 7 which didn'nt get to race last July will be racing this July plus 3 will be drawn out of lots. The extraction of the horses that takes place 3 days before is again a lottery to see which district gets which horse as you do not choose your horse. The 10 captains of the districts racing after having viewed about 80 horses will have a meeting and select 10 horses for the race. The selection of the 10 is normaly done with a certain criterium, a couple that have already raced and won a Palio, another 3 or 4 that have already raced at least once and the others that are at their first experience, this is done so that the extraction is very exciting because obviously you hope to get the best and conseguently become favourite for the victory. The jockeys are a consequence of the horse that you get, you get a good horse you will hire a top jockey, you get a bad horse you hire a jockey that is less famous.Then comes the strategies, the captains will pay other distrits to help you to win and your rival will try and prevent you from winning. The race last 1 minute and 10 seconds and its 3 times around the square, bareback. The square is covered with sand. The palio is a painting painted on cloth and its tbe prize for the winning district. If one wants to get a full idea of the whole event one should stay a whole week in town and I suggest to read the book written by Alan Dundes "La Terra in Piazza, an interpretation of the Palio" its very well written.

Message: Dear Animal lover, I am like you I love animals and I am also from Siena and I love the palio, we are very angry with the terrible things people write about "our" event. I can tell you that if a horse get injured (it can happen in any race) the districts do not kill it but pay for him to be maintained in a special farm outside the city for the rest of his days, we normaly don't boast about this because the palio is ours and we really don't care what people have to say, Anyhow the horse gets the glory not the jockey and for our victory banquet he has the honor to eat at the head of the table! Also I can see the usual ignorancy on this thread, the race is raced on a sandy surface not on the pavement as Lou writes!!<BR><BR>

Thanks, Dario.

I have seen this race on television in past years.......What course does this race follow? <BR>I was in Sienna last year and did not see any sandy surfaces. Is the sand trucked in for the race?

Yes the sand gets tracked in 1 week before the race and then taken out the day after, the operation is repeated in August

I was in Siena in July of 2000 right after the Catipillars won the July Palio! Though we were there a few days after, the celebration it was clearly still going strong. LOUD and strong as the Catipillars came throughout the night to sing in the She-wolf (their great rivals),gloating for their win at the Palio. Sleep was impossible, though we didn't mind, knowing it is a hundreds of years standing tradition.

Dear Siena lover<BR>In July 2000 the Palio was won by the Porcupine (who are in fact are the enemies of the She-wolf) The last time the Caterpillar won was in 1996 after 41 years of non victories!! Actually last century we were the contrada with the least victories- 1907-1912-1922-1955-1996- A curiosity if you add up 7+12+22+55 = 96

I apologized to you on the other Palio thread, hard to keep up with the various discussions. Is there a web site where the past winners are noted? Also is the book you recommend in English. Ciao.

Dear Lou<BR> The book I reccomended is written in English (the title is in Italian, La Terra in Piazza), you can find all the statistics about the Palio if you click at http://www.comune.siena.it/contenuti...alio_index.htm

topping

top<BR>

Are there any helpful Siena contrada members out there that could help out 2 adults with July 1 banquet tickts? Thank you!!!

catgirlinsc: what do you mean banquet tickets for the night before the race? I will be in town that night and for the Palio and would love to know what you are referring to...

-Chris