La Sartiglia

93 It is Carnival time, so long live the “Pariglie” race. Roughly speaking, the “Sartiglia” circus. Maybe what tourists believe the most attractive moment of the joust. A mixture of acrobatics, ability and courage. There is nothing at stake, it only represents the pure display of something akin a tightrope walker without a safety net underneath. People can sense it while they are waiting for the horsemen to sprint out of the short tunnel overlooking via Mazzini. Every year a renewed feeling of amazement arising from a multitude of creases, cockades and rosettes shaking at the gallop due to the energy between the horsemen and their steeds. The image of the three horsemen- the race begins with “Su Componidori”´s pariglia - which, running at full speed on the sandy track, opens and closes the entire joust. If people consider the horse race a show, this is beyond doubt its main scene with the two side horsemen holding the one in the middle while striking impressive poses. The pyramid figure is like a somersault. Calculating the climax of the spectators’ excitement, maybe this is the right time. Some people consider this a mere part of the joust. An invention dating back to the 19th century that scholars resolve, perhaps in a scornful way, as a popular concession to the show. It does not add anything to the sacred vein of the joust and, above all, to the meaning of this ancestral ritual. However the 1722 chronicles reported twenty, thirty “parejas” (couples) to celebrate Charles Emmanuel of Savoy and Anne Christine Louise Palatine of Sulzbach’ s wedding. A big celebration. It is said that nobles used to compete for the star while common people had fun with acrobatics. Actually, there is a big debate on the topic because the “Sartiglia” is also a fertile ground for studies. However, history will have the last word on it, establishing changes and new trends. People can consider the race in this way: a small celebration within the big celebration. A display of bravery after catching the star. There is something sacred in this too.