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The 2026 Ro Pagoda Traditional Ox Racing Festival was held on Sept. 13 in An Cu Commune, An Giang Province. The traditional event draws large numbers of residents and visitors and has become an important part of cultural life for the Khmer community during the annual Sene Dolta festival season.
This year’s competition brought together 32 pairs of oxen from An Cu Commune, Tinh Bien Ward, Chi Lang Ward and Nui Cam Commune. Before race day, owners carefully cared for and trained their animals to ensure they were in peak physical condition.
The oxen competed in a series of knockout races. Heavy rain made the competition even more dramatic.
The racetrack was created on a rice field belonging to Ro Pagoda. Each pair of oxen was controlled by a driver standing on a harrow fitted with sharp spikes. Using a rattan whip to urge the animals forward, the driver also had to maintain his balance and skillfully negotiate the muddy track and its tight turns.
Under the traditional format, the oxen compete in knockout rounds. At the start of each race, two pairs set off together. During the first lap, known as the ho lap, the oxen move at a relatively leisurely pace to warm up. Then comes the tha lap, when the race is decided and drivers use decisive strokes of their rattan whips to signal the oxen to accelerate.
Despite the heavy rain, thousands of spectators in raincoats packed the area around the field to cheer on the competitors. Roars from the crowd erupted whenever the oxen surged forward.
On the slippery track, a single burst of acceleration could determine the outcome. Drivers had to push their oxen to greater speeds while keeping their balance on the harrow trailing behind. Under the traditional rules, if the pair behind allows its opponent to overtake and touch its harrow, it immediately loses the race. It is this combination of the oxen’s strength and explosive speed with the driver’s skill that gives the traditional sport its distinctive appeal.
Amid cheers from thousands of spectators, the oxen charged forward, with victory going to the pair that surged ahead and crossed the finish line first.
After half a day of intense competition through the knockout rounds, quarterfinals, semifinals and classification races, oxen pair No. 08, owned by Nguyen Thanh Tung, claimed first prize and VND30 million ($1,140).
Once the racing was over, Buddhist monks and members of the Khmer community planted rice seedlings in the same field that had served as the racetrack. The activity formed part of preparations for the new growing season.
Khmer children playfully transformed themselves into young racing teams before helping plant rice seedlings, an experience that also helps nurture their connection to their cultural traditions.
This year’s festival had faced the possibility of cancellation because of funding difficulties. However, organizers successfully mobilized community resources to keep the Ro Pagoda ox race going.
Photos: Organizing Committee
On the occasion, organizers also donated 100 bicycles to disadvantaged students who have performed well at school.
The An Giang provincial Border Guard Command presented another 100 gifts, each worth VND500,000 ($19).
The event also featured a photography exhibition capturing memorable moments from ox races and the culture and people of An Giang’s Seven Mountains region, alongside displays promoting locally made products under Vietnam’s One Commune One Product, or OCOP, program.
Tao Dat
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