Unique traditional culture in the white plateau
During the sunny summer days, when the hillsides of the Bac Ha plateau are laden with clusters of red plums, it is also the time when pack horses and "barefoot knights" temporarily put aside their daily farming work and eagerly prepare to participate in the traditional horse racing tournament - a sports tournament imbued with the traditional cultural beauty of ethnic groups in the border region of Lao Cai.
In the mountainous districts of Lao Cai, the horse is both an important means of daily transportation and a close friend. The highland roads are steep, winding, and rocky, but that "powerful assistant" still helps the Mong people travel day after day, supporting them in the fields to plant corn and rice on the sky.
Horses are not only daily companions but also sacred animals in the religious life of the Mong people. According to Ms. Chu Thi Duong - Vice Chairwoman of Bac Ha District People's Committee, maintaining the Bac Ha Traditional Horse Racing is one of the local efforts to honor the good cultural values of ethnic minorities in the highlands.
In the past, horse racing festivals were often combined with gun sales and red ball snatching, whoever raced the fastest and shot the most accurately would be the winner. However, today, horse races in Bac Ha no longer compete in shooting to ensure safety and the riders also have their own competition field, the race is organized systematically and more attractive to viewers.
Not commercial in nature, nor a professional race, horse racing in Bac Ha is a race of farmers and the racehorses are actually pack horses. In particular, horse racing in Bac Ha is a “wooden race”, the jockeys ride on horseback without a saddle, no stirrups to hold their feet, only a horse harness, two iron hooks tied to the rope on both sides of the jaw to control.
During the competition, seeing the jockeys bowing down on the backs of galloping "horses" shows the difficulty and courage of the riders on the racetrack. Mr. Vang Van Huynh, the jockey who won two consecutive championships in 2012 and 2013, shared: "When competing, it is very important to observe the opponent's horse to control your own horse, to keep a distance, to avoid horses jostling and colliding with each other, which can easily lead to accidents."
The Bac Ha horse racing festival is organized on an increasingly systematic scale, making the preparation for the race between jockeys more elaborate. Mr. Sung Seo Dung in Su Man Khang village, Ta Van Chu commune, Bac Ha district, a famous horse breeder in Bac Ha, said: "A good horse for racing must be a male horse with a tall body, long, straight hooves, long hooves, smooth hair, sharp eyes, a wide chest, a slim belly, and long, even steps. Horses with hooves that spread out like duck feet are poor runners."
Highlights of the 2020 horse racing festival
The 14th Bac Ha Traditional Horse Race, organized by the People's Committee of Bac Ha district, took place from May 30 to 31, 2020. However, this year's horse race was greatly affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, so the most important thing when organizing the race is to ensure safety measures to prevent and control the epidemic.
Every year, the traditional Bac Ha horse race attracts a large number of domestic and foreign tourists to attend. However, according to information from the district's Department of Culture and Information, due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, since the beginning of the year, the number of tourists coming to Bac Ha has only reached about 60,000 (down 60% compared to the same period). Therefore, Bac Ha district hopes that organizing the horse race and sideline activities will help tourism grow again.
This year's horse race has 67 athletes from all over the highland villages of Lao Cai such as Si Ma Cai, Bac Ha. The qualifying round on May 30th is 1,900m, divided into 18 knockout rounds to select the athletes to enter 1/16. The semi-final round on May 31st selected the four strongest jockeys to enter the final, competing for first, second, third and fourth prizes. The special highlight of this year's horse race is that for the first time, there is a female rider participating. The presence of Hoang Thi Tuyet - a Tay ethnic girl in Ta Ho village, Ta Chai commune (Bac Ha) has made the atmosphere of the race more exciting.
After the final round of racing ended, the Organizing Committee awarded the first prize to the Na Hoi commune jockeys, the second and third prizes to Ban Pho commune. In terms of individual achievements, the Organizing Committee also awarded the first prize to jockey number 148, the second prize to jockey number 123 and the third prize to jockey number 144.
On the racetracks of the Bac Ha Traditional Horse Racing Tournament, the impression left on visitors is always one of excitement and admiration for the simple, brave Bac Ha horsemen, and the strong, durable amateur racing horses.
