(14th July 2012)

In the past few days, IHP raised the matter of Luca Innocenzi, a rider listed among the entrants in the upcoming Quintana Of Ascoli, although he had been condemned last year for doping during the Quintana of Foligno.

In the phone tappings, published by several national newspapers, Mr. Innocenti is heard talking with the vet of the mare he would run the palio with and say lines like these: “Let’s gave her a bit of fuel, Umbé.[…] I’ve never won, make me win, come on!” And then: “Do we give her all the dope in a single time or not?” And more: “Yes, yes, pump her full…make her show no pain, but suffer inside.”

Last week, we wrote to the task force for the animal welfare of the Health Ministry to denounce this person’s participation to the Quintana would be morally and legally inacceptable (as it goes against the Ministerial Ordinance of 21/07/2011). It is even more inacceptable if we consider the RAI TV will air the race live on 5th August.
We asked to the Ministry to act quickly, to prevent Mr. Innocenzi from taking part to any palio, and to punish the organizers’ behaviour, according to what stated in the above Ordinance.

Our petition had the wished for result: following a warning sent by the Ministry to Ascoli Prefect Graziella Patrizi and to Ascoli Major (and president of the organizing committee) Guido Castelli, the “jockey” Luca Innocenzi was excluded from the Quintana. An important show of legality, enforced with strength in a world where all too often the horses’ wellbeing comes after other interests.

At least until yesterday, when Ascoli Piceno Tribunal has suspended the organizing committee’s decision – which excluded Innocenzi from the race – thus accepting the recourse made by Porta Solestà, for which the professional rider runs.
They are all happy: the organizers, entrants and supporters of the Quintana take a relived sigh because Innocenzi will be able to run. They hail the tribunal’s decision as a victory.

Instead, it is their true defeat, the defeat of the image of the palio, that today finally shows its true colours. Forget the popular tradition and the love and respect for horses…They fought a legal battle to make Innocenzi ride, a person who said those and other unequivocal lines, demonstrating how far the animals’ exploitation goes. A demonstration that now, with this shameful story, comes straight from the people organizing and supporting the palii; not even the children will now believe to the “we love horses” fairy tale.

To the contrary, it will be clearer to all what these events really are: the palii, presented as popular tradition, in reality hide a business that has nothing to do with historical reenacting. It is demonstrated by the prize money and the fact that often the same riders and horses run in several palii. It is demonstrated by the numerous investigations about doping and the organizers’ attempt to side-step the already scarce rules for the protection of the horses.

For this reason IHP launched a few months ago the NOPALIO campaign (www.nopalio.it) to ask for the ban of the use of animals in the palii and historical events, where only the people should compete, as a true historical tradition would want. Up to today more than 11.000 citizens signed to support this request.