Polpenazze Wins Sixth Consecutive Palio delle Botti at Valtenesi Fair
Polpenazze won the Palio delle Botti for the sixth consecutive year, claiming the banner (awarded to those who triumph at least three times) and the giant trophy. The race took place at the Valtenesi Agriculture and Handicrafts Fair in Puegnago.
After securing pole position during Friday’s qualifying, with a time of 2’12”, compared to the 2’14” of the local team, the Polpenazze team (Roberto Tonoli, Elio and Patrick Ferrari, Massimo Malacrida, Luca Ribelli) started in the lead and was never overtaken.
The race consisted of three laps, each 600 meters long. The barrels weigh 46 kilograms, and to prevent cheating, they are given to the organizers, who randomly draw the matches.
Standings and Participants
In second place was Puegnago (Giuseppe Delai, Cristian Lavello, Domenico Bellini, Gian Battista Bertazzi, and Pierangelo Cavazzoli), third S.Felice del Benaco (Tiziano Bontempi, Giancarlo Amatti, Simone Maruelli, Franco Zilioli, Alberto Barone, Matteo Franceschini), and fourth Moniga (Aurelio Micheli, Massimiliano Aderenti, Sandro Alborali, Maurizio Benedetti, Davide Scaroni).
The skill of the competitors prevented the barrels from ending between the spectators’ legs, who were not always willing to stay on the sidewalks.
Patrick Vezzola was awarded as the youngest (19 years old), while his father Elio was the oldest (45). The latter is a veteran: he has participated in all editions (the first in ’92 was won by Manerba, the next three by Puegnago, and since ’96, there has been no competition), except in 2000.
Polpenazze has a fairly large roster. This time, they could afford to do without Stefano Vezzola, who was away on a trip, and Riccardo Colombo.
The team members train for a month on a course far from the town. The 2002 edition, the eleventh, will be held in S.Felice.
The Support and Traditions
The Palio, supported by the Lions Club Garda Valtenesi (led by Ing. Cosimo Porretti), and by the Sports Association (Pierino Merigo), would benefit from all seven localities of Valtenesi forming a team, making the competition even more exciting.
The procession that opened the evening was delightful, featuring the Compagnia delle Pive di Vobarno, the «Piasaroi de Poegnac», the group from the Carata, and costumed performers (Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, Romeo and Juliet, Casanova, etc.).
Awards and Wine Achievements
The Puegnago Fair thus witnessed the triumph of Polpenazze, which, prior to the Palio, had won the «Groppello d’oro» with the Azienda Agricola “Due Pini”. The owner, Ermanno Coccoli, originally from Botticino, bought the lands and vineyards of Cecco Bottarelli, outscoring the other competitors.
Nevertheless, they scored above 80/100 along with Sergio Delai, Francesco Novelli (S.Felice), «Monteacuto» by Antonio Leali, «Il roccolo» by Andrea Bertazzi (Polpenazze), «Le Gaine» by brothers Cottini (Bedizzole), «Le Chiusure» by Alessandro Luzzago (Portese), the farm «Ca’ Granda» of Giuseppe Leali, and the cellars of the brothers Avanzi (Manerba), and Vincenzo Marsadri, along with producer Pasini.
Eleven awards were given out among 25 participants.
