Also this year, Irmi Haub and Elvino Gasparotti have gone to Villanueva to sustain the association “Refugio of the Burrito” and to avoid that will return the grisly slogan “the party ends when the donkey is ended ”, which the unforgettable Clara Genero, historical animalist that has fought for years against the parties with animals in Italy and in Spain, made us to know this party.

What has happened

Unfortunately – they write in their report – we have remained alone to sustain the Spanish friends and this is negative: when in the past there had been other European associations, Mr. Giacinto, one of the responsible of the Commune of Villanueva, accompanied the delegations of the associations to visit the course the day before the “Fiesta.” But now the attitude is changed.

Already the last year, Mr Giacinto and the Mayor, have not been available; so this year we have decided to ignore them.

For the Refugio del Burrito, there was its president, Ivan Salvia and a collaborator, Isabella, veterinary, that have thanked us for being at Villanueva with them.

Unfortunately this year, even if there were no substantially contortions in comparison to the preceding edition, we have been able to verify that the situation has worsened in comparison to 2007. So, the absence of Police, apart of presence of some military of the Guardia Civil, interested only to chat, has allowed to the people to manage the Fiesta: repeated and strong jumps of the “jockey” (perhaps thinner in comparison to his predecessor of 2007), on the rump of the “burrito”, various attempts by other people to climb on the donkey, pushes, howls, shots, cowbells, etc. etc.

As last year, we decided to separate to watch the party, Irmi with Ivan and Isabella have gone to the place of the start, to wait the arrival of the donkey.

Also this year the donkey was the same as the year before, therefore, to its fourth edition, in fact he didn't want to leave the van and has literally been taut out by several men, as you can see.

Unlike the edition 2007, the “jockey”, drunk like protocol, has climbed on the “burrito” before of the arrival in the place of the Commune; the donkey has made its appearance around the 10 o' clock, dragged, always following the protocol, from a long hawser pulled by many people.

Irmi, that was filming the event, has been probably recognized as animalist and one of the men who accompanied the donkey, has tried more times to darken the objective with the hand inviting her not to film (in spit of the presence of many people that filmed). So started the Fiesta and the poor donkey is surrounded by the shaken crowd, that has blocked his movements, so that the donkey moved only through pushes.

Irmi, perhaps recognized like "spy", so that, besides suffering strong pushes, they have torn the beret from her head, for then to launch it over the donkey as a trophy (you can see the photo), and in the end people stamped on it (and even the donkey... :-)

The hits of the rifles have followed with incessant rhythm and the noise of the cowbells, of the sirens, of the cackles and of the choirs have accompanied the whole journey. In more than one occasion, there has been also the attempt to make to climb another person on the “burrito”.

The “fiesta” (the party) has lasted about one hour and, remembering that in 2007 the donkey tried to escape, the organizers have used the hawser as barrier to prevent and to check possible rebellions.

We have accompanied the “burrito” to the van trying to check its state of health. There was also Giacinto, which has asked me, with irony, if the “burrito” was worn-out.

Returned in plaza, we have met a journalist that has asked our impressions; he has told us that in a former edition of the Fiesta, thanks to the interest of Brigitte Bardot, there was a big circle around the donkey to give the necessary space to walk.

It is necessary to mobilize again the other associations to prevent that the fiesta of the Pero Palo slowly slips toward a tragic past!