- There are 17 Contradas or groups that Siena is split up into. Each neighborhood is a different contrada. My host family is part of the ram contrada, and the school I go to is part of the turtle contrada.
- Only 10 contradas compete in the Palio each year.
- It happens twice a year, July 2nd and August 16th
- Each contrada has a museum, church, political meeting place, and even a horse stable to house the horse before the race.
Here is how the race works: Each year 10 Contradas are drawn to run in the race. The seven others who are not picked, are guaranteed to run in the race the next year. So technically, only 3 contradas are picked each year. Three days before the race, each contrada that was chosen to run in the race…also draws a horse and a jockey. This means that a contrada could end up with the best horse but the worst jockey. This race is all about luck. Also, the jockeys are not always from Siena, this means… that all of them are in it for the money. And they don’t really care who wins.
On the day of the race the jockeys enter the arena. At this point, the contradas can pay as much as they would like to buy a better jockey. In 2005, the winning contrada bought their jockey for 1 million euro from another contrada. 1 MILLION EURO! That’s INSANE!
Winning the Palio is a HUGE deal. This is like winning the BYU vs. UTAH game…times a BILLION. Contradas celebrate all year round, even if they don’t win. You can only imagine what it would be the winner of the race.
Yesterday I learned so much about this race from the director of the race. I would love to be here when it happens next year. Dad, are you up for it?
The mascot for the Tower Contrada
Inside the Torre Contrada Church
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