Buffalo Racing in Thailand

Buffalo Racing

You could be forgiven for thinking that a domesticated buffalo is not
built for sprinting, but in Chonburi town, the gateway to resorts along
the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, farmers have managed
to tweak a turn of speed from these working animals that is
nothing short of amazing.

The annual Buffalo races, 13 October, are a hotly contested series of
sprints across on an open space in front of the town’s municipal offices.
Tourists and the town’s residents turn out for these amazing races
that have been featured in the past on CNN and the BBC as a must-see event.

The races are taken very seriously by the owners of the buffaloes.
Prizes for the first nose past the finishing line guarantee owners go to
considerable lengths to ensure their buffaloes are in tip-top condition.
Clouds of dust rise as these hefty animals pound down the short course
at an alarming speed, reminiscent of a stampede. The crowd roars in
support of the favourites and the atmosphere is as an enthralling
as watching thoroughbred race horses.
Admittedly, mites slower than a race horse, but the buffaloes are no slouches
when it comes to making a short dash for glory.

Although this day of fun and competition would succeed with just the
buffaloes as the celebrities, there are other activities to make it a worthwhile
outing for families.

A fair with food stalls and handicrafts appeals to visitors who love authentic
Thai food, snacks and sweets. Then there are the rides for children,
concerts of folk music and, of course, a beauty contest where the prize is the
honour of being declared Miss Buffalo.

Not exactly the most adhering of titles for an aspiring beauty queen,
but it does not seem to deter contestants from seeking the limelight of the catwalk.
Here is a festival that provides photo opportunities to capture an unusual adaptation
of the 100-metre dash. Well worth seeing, is always the conclusion of those
who make the effort to travel to Chonburi.

If the more traditional version of four-legged races is more appealing then
the venue should be the Horse Show, 23 October at the Sanctuary of Truth,
also in Chonburi province, on the outskirts of Pattaya The show is organised
to commemorate the reign of King Rama V, the Great, on a day set aside as a
national holiday to honour a ruler who initiated many of the developments
that ultimately encouraged the economic and social transformation of the nation.

from http://www.tourismthailand.org