Most people do not associate the Asian beast of burden with speed, yet their jockeys are able to incite breathtaking bursts out of them as they gallop towards the finish line. The track is only 100 metres in length and it seems like the jockeys are holding on for dear life as each heat gets underway.
The races are divided into three different classes with the entrants for each categorised by size. Races are held between the hours of 10:00 and 17:00. Other key events on the day include buffalo and beauty queen pageants and martial arts displays.
The buffalo races have been an annual happening for way over a century. They were initially inaugurated to ensure the beasts were kept in tip-top physical condition during slack work periods when rice fields did not need ploughing.
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Chonburi gets ready for annual buffalo races
News in Asia
The town of Chonburi is putting the final touches to the venue for one of Thailand’s most famous annual happenings. Farmers and jockeys along with thousands of spectators will be descending upon a park near city hall on Saturday for the eagerly awaited 2016 Chonburi Buffalo Racing Championships.