(17th August 2012)

The “Palio of Siena” (Italy’s best known traditional race), during the second race of the year, had its inevitable accident to excite a crowd which has lost all sense of proportion.

It is not about animal rights or tradition: we just need to think about what we are doing in the name of entertainment. All the talk and controversy revolve around keeping the tradition and preserving the culture. Nobody ever asks what a horse is and what its health parameters are. Nor does anyone question why animals that by nature should be free at pasture, in a herd and away from danger, are instead stabled, trained and forced to run in an infernal race with the highest risk of injury or death – and such events regularly occur in Siena.

On August 16th in Piazza del Campo (Siena), six horses fell at the first turn. National Italian TV RAI reporters and local newspapers were quick to claim that the horses were fine, and that only one of them had to be transported to a clinic because of a minor fracture. On the contrary, images published by sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport give a very clear idea of the seriousness of the accident suffered by Moedi, another horse sacrificed to this form of collective hysteria.

These so-called “historical re-enactments” fall outside the remit of the Italian law against animal abuse. Furthermore, we wish to highlight the lack of controls on the physical and mental health of the animals, and on the use of performance-enhancing drugs, along with the total lack of transparency regarding the budgets and what happens behind the scenes: Siena’s town council even believes that it holds a copyright over the event and consequently over any photos and videos taken by tourists! This is not the image of a "fine tradition" but a mix of economic and commercial interests in which the suffering and death of animals are brushed aside. That is why in several countries the Palio has been called the "Italian corrida".

Speaking of traditions to defend, in recent days even Italy’s Minister of the Interior, Annamaria Cancellieri, (to whom we wrote a letter asking her to produce statements and legal interventions on the Palio more in line with her role) and art critic Vittorio Sgarbi have spoken in favour of the Palio. They should explain how such a tradition can be kept despite its utter lack of respect for sentient beings.

The answer is evident, and it comes from the vast majority of Italian citizens and foreigners who are horrified at this spectacle: traditions should be safeguarded only if they evolve in line with the cultural development of a people. The Italian towns of Lodi, Pavia, Mola di Bari, Marostica and Castelfiorentino are just a few examples of how people can have fun and maintain traditions, changing the characteristics of the local palios in order to avoid hurting anyone.

We are heading further in this direction, but in the meantime there is an urgent need to introduce a Regulation without grey areas which no longer permits animal abuse.

IHP continues to conduct the NOPALIO campaign, launched last year: www.nopalio.it

WATCH THE VIDEO OF THE RACE WITH THE ACCIDENT’S SHOCKING IMAGES