"It is an extraordinary number of photographers covering the cow race than in previous events," organizer of the West Sumatra Tourism Care Community group, Nofrin Napilus said here on Saturday.
The big interest of foreign photographers caused the Cow race to become no longer a local tourist event, Napilus said.
Pacu Jawi specially held in a muddy rice field following harvest time is different from Karapan Sapi (cow race) held in a dry field and popular in Madura, East Java.
In Pacu Jawi, only a pair of cows with their jockeys, released on every moment of the race, unlike the Karapan Sapi.
The jockey of a Pacu Jawi stands on a specially designed rice field plow to join the two cows, while holding a rope and the tails of the two cows.
The jockey would then bite the tails of the cows if he wishes them to run faster.
The Pacu Jawi that symbolized the local people`s spirit to cooperate in helping develop their region, took place on February 4 through 11, 2012.
According to Napilus, in a bid to help accelerate the tourism sector in the region, the local authorities have to provide a number of public facilities needed by the tourists including food stalls.
In the meantime, a Singaporean photographer, Pingky said he was interested in portraying Pacu Jawi because the race is held only in West Sumatra.
(Uu.B003/H-NG)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
