The Palio of Siena on 2 July 2023 was won by the Contrada della Selva. Tenth victory for the jockey Giovanni Atzeni, known as Tittia, fifth consecutive success.
Giovanni Atzeni in history
Giovanni Atzeni with the Selva jacket makes history with the fifth consecutive Palio won. In over five centuries of life of the Festival no one had ever succeeded. For Tittia, riding Violenta da Clodia, it is also the tenth personal affirmation. Thus he equals Biggeri, a jockey who raced in the 18th and early 1800s.
A long move
To arrive first at the flag, the Sardinian-German jockey had to wait for a very long move, about forty minutes. In the first places Onda and Torre started a long duel, while Selva took advantage of the third position.
When the Chiocciola, a run-up district, entered the ropes, Tittia immediately took the lead, followed by the Tower, who had Gingillo on Zio Tailcoat. It was the two of them who fought for the Palio, because while the Onda was looking for a comeback, Sanna hit the boxes of the Casato. Azteni modeled the curves to perfection, extending in the final, while Gingillo had to give up, despite the excellent performance.
Joy and disappointment
Thus the Palio restarts from where it left off. Last August Tittia and Violenta had won in Leocorno. La Selva had won his last Palio in August 2019, with Remorex shaken.
For a contrada that rejoices and can kick off the party, there are sixteen that are already looking forward to August. Meanwhile, Siena celebrates the full return to normality of the Palio, after a 2022 torn with the teeth from the pandemic.
Nicoletta Fabio, at the first Palio as mayor
Sure, the rain tried in every way to ruin the Festival, but the administrative machine responded point by point. Nicoletta Fabio also highlighted it, at the first Palio as mayor. Then the mayor concentrated on the appeal of the Fest. «From the international press we receive requests for invitations to participate in the Fest. However, we can also see how in the city, these days, there are also tourists who wonder why there is land in Piazza del Campo – said Fabio -. Sometimes we take this ritual for granted, even if it is not so well known. I therefore believe that we will have to work with the Magistrate of the districts and with the Consortium for the protection of the Palio di Siena for a correct promotion of the Festival and also of how the district is experienced 365 days a year».
We’ll talk about it again next year, meanwhile the head is already at the Palio dell’Assunta.
2023-07-03 05:07:00
#Palio #Siena #July #won #Selva #Tittia
