QUEER SPORT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 February 1939, Page 9

QUEER SPORT

BULL RACES AT MADURA.

A POPULAR AMUSEMENT.

Of all the queer sports in the world by no means the least exciting is bull racing in the East Indies, writes Edward Samuel in the “Adelaide Chronicle.”

It is the sport of all, and the sport supreme in that beautiful but far-away land. As it is a typical popular amusement it creates just as much interest, excitement and speculation as horse racing does in other communities. Rich and poor take an equally active part in' .bull racing, and it is the most important event in their lives. ' Stock breeding is one of the principal means of livelihood for the Madurese, and bull-racing is a powerful stimulant for this industry. Only the very rich Madurese can afford to keep stud bulls, or, indeed, rear them, so the Government spend part of

the income of the native village or “dessa” on the purchase of stud bulls and on the building and upkeep of stud farms.

The village authorities keep the stables in repair, and arrange for the feeding and tending of the animals throughout the year. The result is that the keenest interest is taken in the condition and well-being of the animals, and the inhabitants take just as much interest in the progress of promising bull competitors as other communities do in well-known race horses. The whole “dessa” enters enthusiastically into the spirit of the sport. One man feeds and bathes the bulls; another cleans the stables and waters the animals: others are expert' harness makers and prepare the most elaborate, and ornamental racing gear to set off their champions to the utmost advantage; others again are flag makers and lay out the course, and the constructing and polishing of the racing sledges is the work of experts; in fact, every man in the village plays some practical part in the Oriental Derby. The various teams, on the all-import-ant day, decorated and caprisoned come from near and far, accompanied by the whole population of the villages, each with their own gamelan or band. The trainers of the various teams come to

the “aloonaloon,” the racecourse where the bull race is to be held, confident in the ability of their champions, and it must be added, prepared to wager their last penny on their fancy. The course itself, hours before the meeting is held, is packed with a huge and colourful throng 20 rows deep, they are all decked out and arrayed in all their glory, in their best, and it can be .added gaudiest clothes, waiting in tense excitement for the events to come.

The preliminary function differs, somewhat from an ordinary race meeting, as first of all team after team comes up for inspection, preceded by the village heads, and accompanied by bands, trainers, leaders and drivers, the whole procession being preceded by the village heads ,and accompanied by bands, trainers, leaders, and drivers, the whole procession being preceded by the best dancer of the village, who tries to inspire and stimulate the animals by his singing and dancing. The self-control of these vigorous bulls is amazing. They are perfectly trained and a picture with their moist black muzzles and big dark eyes, apparently quite aware of their own importance. They accept the homage and applause in dignified silence. The first ceremony which proceeds the actual racing is the inspection and selection of the best teams of the district. Joy and -satisfaction rules supreme among the villages to which prizes have been awarded. The system of handicapping and the allotment of the various teams in divisions is settled by lot, in accordance with the quality of the teams. From

test races the sportsmen already know which teams will be a match in speed and stamina for each other, and there are, of course, pronounced favourites. The system in vogue is to race teams in pairs with a sledge, the point or curve at the end of which trails on the ground in between the bulls as a sort of chariot. The jockey is perched on a cross piece about half-way up the sledge—but he does not remain there.

In moments of tense excitement the charioteer leaps from his perch on the sledge to urge his team to greater efforts, he also quite frequently parts company involuntarily with the chariot, being thrown off by the collision or some rough piece of ground, or his inability to keep his team on a straight course.

The result at the speed two strong perfectly-trained young bulls can attain very often means a team without a charioteer and consequent disqualification. With evenly-matched teams it is a great gamble which suits the vast concourse of spectators, and nobody can know beforehand which teams will have good or bad luck.