(6th September 2010)

From Cerreto Guidi, a small town in the Firenze province, comes the demonstration it’s possible to preserve popular traditions and valorise history without exploiting animals.

The “Palio Del Cerro”, which celebrated its 42nd edition, is held every year in front of the beautiful Villa Medicea, in Saint Liberata’s honour. It’s a time of celebrations, historical revocations, parades, that culminates in the Palio among the “contrade”, where the entrants face each other in five disciplines: crossbow archery, the lady of the circles, the run in the pannier, the run over the troppoli, and the tug-of-war.
There are no donkeys forced to run or horses pushed to the extreme, because it’s clear that for Cerreto Guidi’s citizens, the respect of their traditions goes hand-in-hand with a cultural grow that should be taken as example.

The result is evident: the crowd is entertained, no one gets hurt, no one dies… the celebration is genuine and the competition healthy, being among willing people and not exploited animals.
The town’s image gains from it too (in Italy, but especially abroad), distinguishing itself from the bad examples set by Siena and its imitations.

So cheers for the “Palio Del Cerro” and see you to the 2011 edition!