To put this into perspective, the horse race (three times around Il Campo) lasts about 90 seconds! The true appreciation for this event is taking in the drama and anticipation of the race for a few days before. There is so much to chance in these races (horses are drawn by lot, and the position on the track is not known until just before the race commences), that it is in fate's hands as to the winner. If you read articles on the race, you will see that fate doesn't always work alone. There is a history of treachery, and bribery among the jockeys (all professionals hired by the contrade).
In these photos, you can see Il Campo during 'normal' times, and just before the race. After a tour of the city the day before the race, we went back to the hotel to participate in a Contrada dinner, the pre-race party for one of the districts, Selva.
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