Yofavo

Twice a year the beautiful city of Siena (Toscana, Italia) organizes a traditional horse race dating back to medieval times. Each of the seventeen contardes (city wards) is represented by it’s own horse and jockey dressed in the colors of the contarde. The race takes place on the Piazza del Campo which is the center square of  Siena’s medieval city center.

The city’s seventeen wards can be seen on the picture below showing the map of Sienna. All of them have their own colors and most of them represent either real or mythical animals.

Besides the race there are many other activities on the square such as parades of medieval flag bearers and other medieval figures such as knights and their entourage.

Only ten of the city’s wards are allowed to take part in the actual race where seven are automatically allowed to race because they were not amongst the ten in the race before and the last three are chosen by draw.

The actual race is dangerous as tens of thousands of spectators are tightly packed into the square with the horses racing at high speed on a short track. Accidents are not uncommon and the audience, jockeys and horses can be severely injured during the race.  

The race is exiting and it’s medieval origins and traditions make for some great photographs.

And here’s a video showing the race of August 16th, 2008. The white horse on the right loses it’s jockey soon after the start of the race, but according to the rules a horse can finish without it’s rider and still win. The loser in this race is the horse that finishes not in the last place, but in the second place.