St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-04-29
QUEER HORSE RACING,
Animals Publicly Blessed Il
Church Before Starting.

Twice each summer, in July and
August, the horse race, or 'PaIio," and
a medieval procession take place in the
The "Palio" $50 called from the banner
given as a prize. which has been run
annually since 1650-with very few
modifications-is really contest be-
tween the different districts of the town.
These districts are called CONTRADICT"
and each of these at the race is rep
resented by nine or ten men in
medieval costume and horse.
Each horse entered for the race must
first receive the benedlction at the
parish church of its contrada few
hours before it runs. The church doors
are thrown open and all who wish to
see the ceremony may enter, and in the
sacristy are shown, hung on the wall,
''Palii' won by the contrada at former
races. some of them a couple of cent
uries old.
The priest stands waiting at the altar
all eyes are turned to the door for the
entrance of the horse. Possibly he
deems it IAN honor to which he was not
BORN" for it is only after much clatter-
ing of hoofs and plunging that he can
be coaxed to enter and is led up to the
high altar; thus he stands surrounded
by the company of the contrada in full
costume, the jockey, helmet on head,
the captain in full armor, standard
bearer. drummer and pages. 1t is the
most curious sight one can imagine in
a church, the horse standing meeklY
before the altar and these brilliant cos
tunes grouped around.
There Is moments hush, then the
priest steps forward and sprinkles the
Uni hi 20,
words of blessing iu Latin, and
sprinkles him again; the spectators
give lusty shout, and the horse is led
triumphaHtly out.
BY $50 p. IN. the plaza is cram med
with people of all sorts and conditions,
and the balconies and windows of the
houses, decorated with brilliant dra-
peries, are crowded. AT the third gun
fire the course is cleared by mounted
carbineers and the procession enters
the plaza. First comes the town band
in plain, modern, dark-blue uniforms,
cooked hats with white plumes, playing
as 1t marches; q pause, and then some
eight or nine heraldS trumpeting gal
lantly-they are in cos tune, as is all the
procession. Then pas the "contrade"
one by one, each in different costume
OF the middle ages; each one has its
emblem, such as a drag On. snail, goose,
wood. wolf, owl, etc, represented on
their costumes. flags, armor and horse
trappings; the jocke VS., in costumes and
wearing the helmet, ride; the captains
and their companies go on foot.
The horses are ridden without saddle
and stirrups, and as they file out from
under the archway of the plaza an Of
hcIal gives each jockey his nerDo. This
is whip made of OK sinew. and it IS
permissible during race for the rider to
strike the rival jockeys and horses with
this formidable weapOn-a remnant Of
the middle-age brutality. Woe to the
man VINO gets struck across the face
with it. The jockey hats now worn in
place of the helmets are of metal, painted
to guard the head against these blows
The horses are at the start ng point
The signal is given, and they are Off
a good start. Selva Wood is the
favOrite ana leads from the first. We
fear he will never keep up the pace,
is still ahead
The other nine horses are we'll to-
gether, the jockeys belaboring right and
left with their nerDi; the people are
excited to their highest pitch. The
noise is deafening. for these peasants
have sturdy voices. Even the strangers,
who have come for the spectacle and
care not one jot which contrada wins,
are constrained out of sympathy to
shout too. In the third round Sslvs
has more than held his own and come
in fully two lengths ahead amid
applause.
Instantly after the race the winning
jockey is surrounded by policemen. who
protect him until his company has time
to rally around him, and there is good
need for it. for the partisans of the
beaten contrada are hot-headed and
violent in their disappointment and
would scarcely let their victorious rival
escape sound of limb if they had
chance to get at him.