My Kingdom for a Horse

Sunday is typically a day of rest and family in Italy. But on the second Sunday of September in Foligno it is a day for blood sport.

Welcome to the Giostra della Quintana, Foligno’s twice yearly equestrian jousting event that pits the town’s ten neighborhoods (rione) against one another in a battle of skill and nerves. For nearly three hours and through three separate rounds each rione’s chosen equestrian makes three passes on horseback around the campo de li giochi, the stadium where the Giostra takes place in front of thousands of locals and tourists. On each pass the rider attempts to catch with his lance a small ring that is suspended from the wooden saracino, a lifelike statue of an ancient moor that is placed at the intersection of the figure eight track. With each pass a new, smaller ring is hung for the rider. And these rings are small, the first 10cm (approx. 4 in.), then 8 cm. (3 in.) and finally 6cm (just over 2 inches in diameter). Oh, and the rider (and his horse) are running at full speed, as points are awarded on a combination of rings captured and time. It is an amazing spectacle, as you would imagine.

Sunday’s Quintana was the second in the annual series, the June edition (the sfida, or challenge) having been won by the blue and white Rione Giotti and their rider Massimo Gubbini. The second yearly meeting is referred to as the rivincita or rematch.

We arrived too late to witness the medieval parade that marches through the streets of Foligno and enters the campo with great pomp and ceremony, having been unwilling to tear ourselves from a thoroughly enjoyable lunch in Deruta with our friend and ceramicist Gerardo Ribigini and his wife and daughter. Had we arrived on time, we would have seen over 800 locals decked out in costumes with lords, ladies and other assorted courtiers transporting the audience back in time for this historic event that traces its origins back to 1448. And although its modern incarnation was only re-established in 1946 in Foligno the Giostra is not just some touristy show, but rather a source of intense civic pride. The locals jam into the stadium, sitting in assigned sections and wearing their quarter’s colors, cheering on their rider and whistling and catcalling other neighborhoods’ failures. As the rounds progress teams are eliminated and the tension builds. Our final round featured just six of the original ten teams.

Yesterday’s Quintana featured two surprises, announced by the extremely demonstrative and loud master of ceremonies. The first was a sort of halftime show (minus wardrobe malfunctions) by a ceremonial mounted carabinieri team, who played the Italian national anthem and more enthusiastically received Italian folk tunes (“Funiculi, Funicula!”). The second was a flyover by the precision aeronautic team the Frecce Tricolore, whose “surprise” arrival was announced a few minutes prematurely by the public address man, who then awkwardly tried to fill in the time by repeating himself that the team was just moments away and how spectacular a surprise their flyover was going to be. Despite the lack of suspense, the low altitude buzz and the green, white and red smoke trail released over the stadium thrilled the crowd.

But despite these diversions the crowd was there to see a winner and the decisive third round did not disappoint. And the leader heading into the final round, Massimo Gubbini riding again for the Rione Giotti not only speared all three rings in his final ride, but did so in the fastest time, securing the second title of the year for Giotti. As the Giotti faithful streamed onto the campo to congratulate Gubbini and to hug and dance, the remaining 90% of the audience left with shattered dreams, hoping for redemption in next year’s Giostra. And perhaps we will be in the audience once again when one of Foligno’s ten rione walk away with the Palio, winners of the Giostra della Quinatana.