Brio

In July 2000, Andrea Mari get a first chance in Valdimontone. He can ride the prima prova. Only a year later, in August 2001, he got the chance to ride the Palio, in the colors of Tartuca on Razzo de Nulvi. In 2002 he gets new chances for Oca and Aquila. In July 2003 he was suspended so he had to wait until August for another chance. It’s Aquila on Big Big again. Again, he misses the Palio in July due to suspension, which means that he only rides the August Palio at Valdimontone.

2005 will be a bitter year: in July he falls from ET Di Gallura in Tartuca. In August he sees rival Torre win after 44 years while riding Choci in Onda. A year later, in July 2006, he rides one of the best races of the last decade. Again on Choci he rides the chase race of his life. On the line he beats rival Aquila. He wins his first Palio for Pantera. In August he rides again for Pantera, again with Choci. He ends the race in second place behind Selva.

In July 2007 he finished in second place, after a catch-up race on Dostoevsky on whom he is leading for Nicchio. For a moment there is doubt whether or not he won. Ultimately, Oca is declared the winner. In August he rides a colorless race for Istrice on Elisir Logudoro.

In 2008 he is unable to reinforce his achievements over the past two years. In July he decides to wear the colors of Pantera on Indira Bella. In August, however, he will receive the July winner Gia del Menhir at Torre. Bruco wins against all odds the Palio.

In the spring of 2009 Brio got injured. There are doubts about participation in July. Ultimately, he can still drive for Civetta. Iesael’s injury prevents him from participating. On August 16, 2009, he wins the Palio again. After 30 years of waiting, he throws Civetta into ecstasy.

In August 2010, after serving a suspension, he defends Civetta’s colors again, without success. In July 2011 he was not very successful either. In August, however, he wins the Palio again, this time for Giraffa on Fedora Saura.

2012 was a colorless Palio year, 2013 will be a disaster! On July 2 he rides for Lupa on Indianos. With one last maneuver, he tries to win on the inside in the final straight line. He bumps into the railing at the start. He breaks his leg. To top it all off, he gets a beating from some contradaioli from rival Istrice. He was not rehabilitated until a year later.

In August he wins his fourth Palio, his second for Civetta. A year later, on July 2, 2015, he wins his second Palio in a row. On Morosita Prima he brings the Palio back to Torre after 10 years.

He is suspended in July 2016. He returns in August and finds ‘his’ Morosita Prima at Drago. He is more than one lap in the lead but the faster Preziosa Penelope (Lupa) wins the Palio.

In 2017 he will ride the July race on Smeraldo Nulese for Civetta. He ends among the last in an invisible course. A chance to win on Polonski at Torre in August; were it not for the fact that Oca blocked him between the ropes in such a way that he could not get started. His palio ended in the first Casato.

On July 2, 2018, after 3 years of waiting, he returns to a victory. On Rocco Nice he wins for Drago after running three laps in front. In August, he tries to get a cappotto for Drago on Phatos De Ozieri, without any consequence.

In the 2018 Straordinario, he returns to ‘his’ Civetta. At the beginning of the second lap he takes the lead, but the horse runs straight ahead in the second San Martino.

A year after he was appointed as the district’s fantino, Brio finally makes his debut in the colors of Bruco. Unfortunately, Solu Tue Due doesn’t have the strength to come back or make up ground. Bruco again in August, at Schietta. In the first San Martino, he passes Onda, takes the lead and keeps it. On the line, he is passed by Remorex who wins the race for Selva with a few centimeters.

Andrea Mari dies in a car accident on May 17, 2021.