Not Your Typical Mud Race

Once a year, bull racers and traders come together in West Sumatra, Padang, Indonesia to take part in Pacu Jawi, or mud cow racing. After rice harvesting season and when the monsoons have tapered off, the flooded rice paddy fields provides the muddy race track. The main purpose of Pacu Jawi is for sellers to show off the strength of their bulls to potential buyers. A pair of oxen are tied loosely together with the driver standing on a bamboo frame also serving as the harness. The jockey drives the bulls across the fields using their tail to steer and occasionally biting it should the steeds let off on speed. After each run, the bulls are hosed off and herded into a display pen to be put on sale with the best performers (those who ran the fastest and straightest) fetching the higher prices.