Race of the ring 2008 of Narni

The "Race of the ring 2008 of Narni" is the main event of a large historic evocation organized during the days preceding and following the celebration of the protector San Giovenale and that has its origin in the traditional ceremonies dating back to the first half of the XIVth century.

The event is a travel through the moments forecast and codified in the Communal Statutes of 1371 after Christ, following the "reading of the banno", when horse riding brigands called at the "certamen" the cavaliers of Narni in order to have them demonstrate their preparation for the defence of the city. On the evening itself the program goes on with the "Offer of the Wax in the Cathedral" made by the communal authorities and the representants of the Arts and of the Castles that during the Middle Ages were under the jurisdiction of the city. A night parade, composed of more than 600 personages, reaches the Cathedral to give an homage to the tomb of San Giovenale, first Bishop of Narni. On May 3rd, during the celebration of the saint protector, takes place on the 2Platea Major", the actual "Piazza dei Priori" the "Historic Race of the Ring"; it consists of an equestrian race, to which during the Antiquity were allowed to participate all the young men of Narni possessing a horse, during which the cavaliers must take with a silver spar a ring hanging to two cables in front of the Communal Palace. On the Saturday preceding the second Sunday of May takes place the Historic Parade in costume with the Pontifical and Communal authorities, the ones of the Terzieri, the Corporations and the noble families.
At the end of the celebrations, on the second Sunday of May, the three historic terzieri of the city fight against each other in the "Race of the ring" in the stadium San Girolamo, best known during these days as "land of the games". The cavaliers, each one recognized thanks to the colours of its team, respectively white-black for Mezule, red-blue for Fraporta and orange-viola for Santa Maria fight in a direct duel of ability and fastness.
Halfway of the elliptic circuit are placed the rings that each one of both cavaliers, galloping on his own horse, must take with the spar, in such a way to collect three of them in the fastest possible way. In fact, at this moment, an electric device makes fall down all the remaining rings on the ground making it impossible for the other cavalier to collect them and therefore deciding the victory of a cavalier over the other.