Siena's Palio draw selects Aquila, Onda and Giraffa for August 16 race
On Sunday 5 July 2026 the municipal council of Siena held the traditional draw for the Palio di Siena. In the Palazzo Pubblico the three contrade Aquila, Onda and Giraffa were randomly selected to join the ten‑horse race scheduled for 16 August 2026, an event dedicated to the Madonna Assunta.
The other seven contrade—Selva, Chiocciola, Oca, Nicchio, Lupa, Istrice and Torre—participate automatically. Mayor Nicoletta Fabio presided over the ceremony and the captains of the seventeen contrade confirmed the proposal to re‑appoint Renato Bircolotti as mossiere (race manager) for the August career, as required by the Palio regulations.
The draw completes the lineup of the historic competition in Siena’s Piazza del Campo, with rivalries such as Oca versus Torre and Lupa versus Istrice expected to add drama to the forthcoming race.