The " cencio ". What could be a derogatory term, a rag, a piece of cloth, for the Sienese is the dream of a lifetime. A dream that tonight, after yesterday's postponement due to bad weather, can materialize if the horse with the colors of its contrada makes the firecracker in Piazza del Campo thunder after three laps on the tuff. And then it will be joy. Great. The kind you dream of every year, at least when your contrada (in Siena there are 17 after the 1729 reform wanted by Princess Violante Beatrice of Bavaria, who set its borders) is in the ten-man lot at the "Mossa", the ropes where horses and jockeys enter according to an order drawn by lot and then sprint towards the San Martino curve.
Whoever celebrates will take home the drappellone, the "cencio", a cloth painted by a Sienese artist, as tradition dictates for the month of July, and dedicated to the Madonna di Provenzano, to whom a church is dedicated in the district formerly inhabited by the family of the famous medieval leader Provenzano Salvani, hero of the battle of Montaperti (in 1260), won by the Sienese, Ghibellines, in the war against the Florentines, Guelphs. This year it happened to an engineer who loves comics, Riccardo Manganelli, Sienese doc, former amateur footballer and by family tradition very attached to the Palio, to paint the drappellone: he was the one who won the competition announced by the Municipality.
THE JOCKEYS – A piece of Sardinia, as usual, has moved to Tuscany this year too, some following the horse breeders, some of the eight Sardinian jockeys chosen by the districts. In fact, only two of those who will be at the ropes this evening do not come from Sardinia.
One is Enrico Bruschelli from Siena, Bellocchio, 30 years old, at his tenth Palio in his career. He will run with the colors of Istrice and is a son of art, given that his father, Luigi, known as Trecciolino, was victorious thirteen times in his career, only one less than the record holder of modern times, Andrea Degortes Aceto , originally from Olbia, capable of winning fourteen Palios. Four more than Giovanni Atzeni Tittia , born in Germany to parents who have now returned to live in Nurri, who today will still wear the Oca jersey, with which he has already triumphed three times. The other non-Sardinian will be Scompiglio, Jonatan Bartoletti (44 years old), originally from Pistoia. He has run thirty-two Palios, winning five. His debut dates back to 2007 and he will have the colors of Bruco. Among the Sardinians, there is also a debut: Michel Putzu , 35 years old. Many in his Teti will cheer for him and for the Drago district. Brigante, Carlo Sanna from Sindia (36 years old), eighteen appearances and three victories behind him, the last one a year ago with Onda, will ride for Tartuca today and will be among the favorites riding one of the best horses: Zio Frac (two victories). The bitter rival, Chiocciola, has decided to focus on Carburo, Giosuè Carboni from Bortigali , 45 years old, ninth time in the square for him and not even one victory, but he will ride an already victorious horse: Tale e quale. The twenty-seven year old Virgola, Andrea Sanna from Oliena , at his second Palio, will try to lead the Selva contrada to triumph, while his fellow countryman Antonio Francesco Mula Shardana (28 years old), also at his second Palio, will defend the colors of the Lupa. Finally, Gingillo, Giuseppe Zedde , 43 years old, originally from Noragugume, at his 33rd Palio, with three victories, was chosen by Valdimontone, while Francesco Caria Tremendo (37 years old), from San Gavino, will defend the colors of the Pantera and it will be the eleventh time for him among the canapi. The horses
THE HORSES – Apart from Diodoro, a six-year-old bay gelding, a debutant, born in Castelnuovo Berardenga and trained by Tittia, the other nine Anglo-Arab-Sardinians were all born in Sardinia. Zio Frac (Tartuca), 10 years old, comes from Pozzomaggiore (breeder Costantino Calaresu); Tale e Quale (Chiocciola), 13 years old, was born in Bortigali (Pietro Piras); Zenis (Selva), 10 years old, in Sorgono (Battista Meloni); Arestetulesu (Pantera), 9 years old, in Tula (Simona Godani); Comancio (Valdimontone), 7 years old, in Ossi (Stefano Demartis); Ares Elce (Lupa), 9 years old, in Florinas (Marco Giola); Viso d'Angelo (Bruco), 11 years old, in Pozzomaggiore (Costantino Calaresu); Dorotea Dimmonia (Istrice) to Samugheo (Antonello Tatti). The latter is making her debut as Diodoro and Diosu de Campeda, 6 years old, born in Macomer (breeder Giovanni Ledda).
THE PROGRAM – In mid-afternoon the districts will begin to gather, with the drummers and banners ready to parade in the Historical Procession, which will enter the square at 5.20 pm, preceded, as per ceremony, by the detachment of Carabinieri on horseback. But the real wait is for 7.30 pm, when the horses will cross the Cortile del Podestà again for the start of the race.
