Today is Melbourne Cup Day.
The race has been run...
But I want to talk about a different type of race.
The Buffalo Races in Chonburi - Thailand.
About 140 years ago, the first buffalo race was run.
Groups of people had gathered together
to celebrate the end of Buddhist Lent.
They brought carts, drawn by buffaloes,
laden with goods to help them celebrate.
Games were played and everyone was in great spirits.
It wasn't long before
some of the men decided to race their buffaloes.
And so it began...
Every October, people dress in their finest
and decorate their buffalo carts for a parade.
There is a beauty competition for the local girls.
The buffaloes don't miss out on this - with a competition for the best male and the best female buffalo.
While the original races were run with farm buffaloes, today's racers are especially bred for the race. Their diet contains some secret ingredients, but beer and eggs are common foods. They are trained and excercised regularly.
Once they are in position, the race starts. Riders sit on the far end of the buffaloes, holding the reins and bouncing along the 130m track. The track might be dusty and dry or mud-caked and sloppy. Regardless, the atmosphere is energetic and the colours are bright.
The riders are usually shoeless
and they do not use a saddle.
Betting is not allowed in Thailand.
I guess that means that no bets are made.
Apparently, winning buffaloes can be sold
for thousands of dollars!
Maybe I should buy a buffalo, train it up
and enter next year's race...
1 comment:
Ten points for the riders for just staynig on.
Did you see one of these races?
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