If Bull racing is one’s kind of sport then there’s no better venue than Bali to experience the best competition in one of the most engaging adventure sport varieties known to Asia. Centered around the hamlet known as Negara the Mekepung racing season kicks off from July to October each year as it has for centuries. With its origins steeped in a rice harvest celebration of the area’s Madures migrants the Negara bull races takes place on haphazardly laid out racetracks on the outskirts of Negara. A local festival of truly grand proportions the races attract the entire village to the tracks to cheer their favourites on while betting on a potential winner. Organized by the Negara region of government the buffaloes that compete in races are prime specimens of the best water buffaloes in the area. Divided into two teams, the clubs are segregated according to which side of the Ijo Gading River they occupy and are thus divided into the Western division and the Eastern division.
The main race also known as the Bupati’s Cup takes place at the town square of Negara on the last Sunday before Indonesia’s national Independence Day after vigorous trials are conducted during the dry season. The Governor’s Cup however takes place in October and is equally prestigious in scale and competitiveness in addition to the Regent’s Cup which is held on the beaches of Mekepung Dlod Berawahit. Commencing in the morning hours the race sees the horns of the competing buffaloes vibrantly painted while the necks are adorned with harnesses and ribbons. The creatures are paraded through the streets of Negara before the race begins while their adornments are also removed as vibrantly dressed jockeys mount the beasts they wish to ride to the finish line. The 2km long racecourse is navigated with great speed although the winners are not only determined by how soon they reach the finish line but also the creature’s overall strength and the jockey’s style.
Other areas of Bali renowned for conducting bull races include the island of Medura which is located on the north-eastern shores of Java.
Travellers on the lookout for elegant Bali resorts should look no further than the Anantara Bali Uluwatu Resort & Spa. Offering guests a contemporary hideaway in a tropical paradise it is little wonder this stylish rest is considered among the best Uluwatu hotels in the island.
Thanuja Silva is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Auburn Silver. She has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world. Google+