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Where's the Party?
Sedilo is a mountain village in the North of Sardinia,
an island off the coast of Italy.
What Happens at the S'Ardia Horserace?
The S'Ardia is a two day festival in honour of St Constantine,
the patron saint of Sedilo. Sardinians are renowned for their
horsemanship and the horserace is the main feature of the
S'Ardia. The race is started by the best rider in Sedilo,
and he is pursued round the course in a series of high speed
sprints by one hundred other riders. The race lasts for three
hours. It's a dangerous event, and every year there's casualties,
both among the riders and the spectators.
What's the history of the Race?
The horserace originated during the Moorish invasions, when
young men trained their horse to gallop at high speed through
the town's narrow streets so that they'd be able to outrun
the enemy.
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