‘Saturday afternoon in downtown Alba: the Palio degli Asini, or the Donkey Race
Author: David Berry Green
Just in case you’re suffering from ‘harvest hangover’ (sorry, too much vineyard footage) and if you’re wondering what the gentle folk of Alba get up to on a Saturday afternoon, in the absence of football, eastenders or the Gold Cup….here’s three minutes of thrilling action:
The Palio degli Asini dates back to medieval times, to 1275 in fact, when relations between Asti and Alba reached an all-time low, prompting the Astiani to dispense with the mace and take to the saddle, parading provocatively around the city walls. Incensed by such heresy, the Albeisi went for the jugular: they too saddled up but this time on donkeys. All was formalised in 1932; though as you can see the event now has more of the ‘International It’s a Knockout’ about it. A final note before you diss our floppy-eared friends: stubborn they may be but bet you didn’t know that they are only beast of burden whose milk can be used to suckle babes; so not so daft after all.
Nice story and almost correct, but sorry you have mixed up your facts.
The Palio di Asti was first recorded in 1275 and is held every year to celebrate the Astigiani hot-bloods staging a bareback horse race around the Alba city walls during one of their medieval Saturday night rumbles.
The Palio degli Asini is a modern event (last century) held two weeks after Asti’s as a spoof and to mark the opening of the Alba truffle fair in October.