Thousands of visitors, both local and foreign, flocked to the traditional horse racing festival in Go Thi Thung in Xuan An commune, Tuy An district, Phu Yen province on January 30, the ninth day of the first lunar month.
This year’s festival attracted 32 horses from the locality. Most of the racing horses are mares specialised in carrying agricultural products, while the jockeys are mainly local farmers.
The festival attracts people from far and wide. Many local people in Phu Yen province still use horses to transport agricultural products and other agricultural production items. Horses are used to navigating bumpy, slippery terrain that vehicles can’t get through.
A horse in good health can carry over 100 kilos on its back. Many tourists to Phu Yen are interested in the horses, which are also raised to serve tourism activities.
According to elderly residents of Thanh Xuan village, the horse race was around before the war against the French. However, during the wars against the French and American invaders, the race was stopped.
After 1975, the race was restored in An Xuan commune on the ninth day of the first lunar month. Nearly ten years later, the Go Thi Thung traditional horse race has been officially recognised as a traditional festival of Phu Yen province.
The traditional approach of riding without a saddle makes the race more interesting with spectacular performances. Essentially, the man who has the fastest horse is the winner.
This race is designed for ‘barefoot cavaliers’, riders who have been friends with their horses since they were born. All the riders come from 5 communes: An Cu, An Hiep, An Linh, An Tho and An Xuan.
