More Horse Business

 Because it has been Palio again- about a week of Horse Madness beginning with the wonderful Prove di Notte, the enchanted dawn rides around the Piazza which denotes the beginning of the Palio, when new horses and new fantini (jockeys) have a chance to show off in front of the assembled  Contrada Capitani. 

Arriving at these two mornings of trials is a stirring experience- there are small cafes under the Palchi (the spectator stands which are by this time in place) where people crowd in to get their coffee and their Pasta, which is Siena speech for a croissant, then install themselves on the stands to enjoy the thrilling spectacle. 

Once these Provas are over, the assignation lottery of the horses takes place, and ONDA was assigned  a newcomer by the name of Canarinu, which was  led to our stable without much enthusiasm.

 Nevertheless the contrada rallied and soon there was a cocktail invented called the Canarinu, which included  orange juice; gin and and various  yellow alcoholic substances which everyone was drinking, and loud speakers were installed  on the Via Giovanni Dupre from which the twitter of canaries could be heard.  By the time the Cena della Prova Generale arrived - the evening of the 15th of August- the mood was high on the Via Giovanni Dupre. 

                                                                                  

August Palio is normally run on the 16th of August, but yet again, it started pouring down during the second part of the Corteo Storico, and soon the dreaded green flag which denotes a Palio postponement appeared from a window at the Palazzo Pubblico. 

Once more I had guests who had come from far and wide to see the Palio and who  were disappointed because they had to leave in the morning of the 17th. The rest congregated once more on the Piazza and the Palio finally went ahead after an unusually long and difficult Mossa - the starting of the race- when all sorts of shenanigans take place and the fantini from enemy contradas are doing their utmost to try and ruin the starting position of their adversary. The overwhelming favourite was the star fantino Tittia, riding for Istrice- the Porcupine. 

Our Canarino was unfortunately never to be seen anywhere near the front runners. This was a real surprise Palio- the winner was La Lupa, the She wolf, with a horse called Benitos, also running his first Palio and a rank outsider, ridden by the oldest fantino in the race at 43,  nicknamed Velluto,  who had never won a Palio before and had not even ridden one for 7 years. 

Once I got over the disappointment of not having our Canarinu winning, I was really happy for La Lupa  (who in my opinion has the most elegant colours and costumes of all, in black, white and orange)

because I love the win of an underdog - and here we had two of them, both horse and fantino performed a breath taking Palio. However, I quickly noticed that is not de bon ton to say that to other ONDA members. The correct contrada behaviour is to look sad and down hearted and mutter under ones' breath...

Nevermind. To hell with that. I am delighted for LA LUPA!