WTI Magazine #63    2015 June, 27
Author : folclore.it      Translation by:

The Palio is a complex event organized by the Municipality of Siena that is held twice each year, on July 2 and August 16. Ten of the 17 "contrade" (city quarters) of Siena run the Palio of July 2: the seven ones who did not run during the Palio of July of the previous year, plus three random from among the ten who ran it. The draw takes place on the last Sunday of May, similarly for the Palio of August 16, with the draw taking place on the first Sunday after the Palio of July.

The 10 contrade participate to the Palio racing with a horse that is assigned them by a raffle from a shortlist of horses selected among those physically fit.
The Palio race is preceded by a pageant, an historic walk which is attended by over 600 people representing the 17 contrade and institutions of the ancient Republic of Siena.

The procession starts from Piazza del Duomo in the early hours of the afternoon, and winds through the streets of the city before taking off in Piazza del Campo.

The Palio race consists of three laps of Piazza del Campo, in a tuff track plotted in the ring above the shell. It starts from "the mossa", formed by two ropes defining the space where 9 contrade with their horses are confined, in an order determined by a raffle: when the last one (called "the rincorsa") finally enters the space between the ropes, the front rope is lowered and the race starts.
The winner is the contrada whose horse, with or without the jockey, performs three laps for first.

The winner is awarded with a banner of painted silk, the Palio, or "Drappellone", which will remain forever preserved in the museum of the contrada.