(VOVworld) – Bac Ha district in Lao Cai province is attractive for its stunning mountain views and fantastic festivals. The most interesting event is the horse race festival in June which has existed for nearly 100 years. The jockeys are farmers and the racehorses are packhorses. VOV brings you the boisterous atmosphere of horse racing on the Bac Ha plateau.
In the past, the horse race began in a field, crossed the hills, and finished at the town center. When a jockey was near the finish line, he jumped off his horse, used his matchlock rifle to shoot 5 shots at a target, caught a red ball, jumped back on his horse, and crossed the finish line. The winner combined fast riding and accurate shooting. There are some legendary of Bac Ha horsemen who could gallop their horses at full speed and hit the target every time.
Today, horse racing in Bac Ha no longer involves shooting. The race is carefully organized using several race tracks. The race has been expanded to include jockeys from the provinces of Yen Bai, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, and Dien Bien.
Vang Van Tai, a Tay ethnic from Ha Hoi commune, Bac Ha district, has more than 30 years experience raising racehorses. He says in the northwestern region, a horse is raised by every household. The horse is a loyal and useful work animal in their daily life and production so horse is considered an invaluable asset by the family. In recent years horse racing has evolved and packhorses are trained to become racehorses after work. Tai says a good horse for racing is a strong male horse, tall with straight legs, wise eyes, and a brawny chest. He should have a long and even stride: "We have to choose a horse with long legs and thick hooves. If the hooves fan out like duck feet, the horse runs badly. We feed it as much as it needs. I won because my horse was well-trained and had a lot of practice. We practiced in the morning and afternoon but not beyond the horse’s ability".
Horse racers in Bac Ha are not professionals. They’re farmers with packhorses. The race horses have no saddle – just a bridle for controlling the horse. The riders use the reins and their heels to goad the horse to run faster. Vang Van Huynh who has won 2 horse racing championships says in a race, a rider need to keep his distance from his rivals to prevent jostling: "You have to sit firmly on the horse’s back. At bends in the road, you need to reduce your speed to avoid falling. On a straight road, slacken the reins and run as fast as you can".
Each year traditional horse racing in Bac Ha attracts crowds of Vietnamese and foreign visitors. The audience experience some breathtaking moments when horses get going too fast and run off the race track. Matthias Matt of Hamburg, Germany, said: "It was amazing. I think it is a great event in this region. I was amazed that the people come and their energy and feeling are very good. Everybody were laughing and enjoying very much".
Bac Ha horse racing is a unique cultural feature of Vietnam’s northwestern mountains that leaves audiences with unforgettable memories.