Associate endemic tourism development with traditional horse raising

Vietnam Agriculture News recently had an interview with Dinh Van Dang, Chairman of Bac Ha District People's Committee (Lao Cai), in which he gave a deeper insight into this matter.

For a long time it is known that the horse has become a close friend of Bac Ha farmers. Bac Ha horses have unique characteristics, different from other horse breeds. Can you tell us more about the conservation and development of Bac Ha horses, sir?

Horse raising holds a special place in the hearts of highland people. It is a means of transporting goods and agro-products. It also provides a portion of meat output in daily activities. When spring comes, it becomes a competitor in the district’s traditional horse racing tournament.

Aiming to preserve and develop the Bac Ha horse breed, during 2014 and 2020, the People's Committee of Bac Ha district advised the construction of the project "Renovating and developing the horse herd of Bac Ha district" which was approved by Lao Cai People's Committee in Decision 4037/QD-UBND dated December 23, 2014. The local authorities demonstrated focus in terms of breeds to expand the horse herd, supported grass planting, repair and renewal of barns and offered training in horse breeding techniques.

In the 2017 - 2018 period, the district also integrated capital sources from target programs to provide support in terms of breeding mares, encouraging the locals to develop the horse herd specifically racing horses in service of the district's annual traditional horse race.

Bac Ha pack horses are also livestock that bring economic value, contributing to hunger eradication and poverty reduction, building new rural areas in the locality, so what preferential policies does the district have for horse-raising households in the near future?

Apart from mobilizing people to invest in developing horse herds, the district has given out directives to take advantage of preferential loans from national target programs through banks and capital sources according to the Resolution of the provincial People's Council on supporting the development of livestock production.

The district also directs associations at all levels to support the establishment of livestock models, helping farmers access techniques for horse raising and breed selection, thereby promoting commercial livestock production and concentrated sustainable husbandry, creating jobs for workers, increasing income and eliminating hunger. Through traditional horse racing tournaments, the district spends a part of the fund to support participating jockeys, motivating them to further invest in the district’s horse herds.

From horse meat, you can make a variety of products, thus enriching local cuisine. So with the characteristics of Bac Ha the highland district, how can we increase the value of horse products, sir?

To enhance the value of horse products, we first strive to make a good marketing move and mobilize people to develop the horse herd according to the technical process. The goal is to create attractive and quality horse products that meet the demands of consumers.

The traditional horse race is in itself a way for highland people to promote the image, people and land of Bac Ha, which is proven to be effective when introducing horse products to tourists. The district has secured a certified trademark "Bac Ha Horse" since 2020 to strengthen marketing work and affirm the quality of local endemic products, contributing to increasing income for people.

Bac Ha traditional horse racing tournament has a long history of nearly 100 years and is widely known among visitors. However, to turn the race into an endemic tourism product, what strategy does the district have?

In 2007, Bac Ha traditional horse racing tournament was officially restored. Since then, the traditional horse racing festival has become an annual activity of Bac Ha district, truly meeting the people's needs to enjoy cultural and spiritual life, contributing to preserving and promoting the unique cultural tradition of local ethnic groups.

The horse racing festival has become an endemic tourism product of Bac Ha, which is also the reason why local authorities should pay more attention to protecting this unique “flavor” of the highland. In order to bring this event to a whole new level, Bac Ha makes the most of the assistance from the provincial Party Committee and specialized departments to attempt to make the horse race a regional-scale event.

Thank you, sir!