Ho Chi Minh City residents will no longer have to wait until the eight lunar month to travel up north to watch buffalo fights since a local company has recently started holding the traditional event in the city. 
Every Sunday of the second week, the Sy Dang Private Enterprise hosts buffalo fights at the People’s Cultural History Park in HCMC’s outlying district 9.

About 20 fighting buffalos from across the Mekong Delta region battle one another in the 5,000-seat arena.

There are at least 25 criteria for selecting fighting buffalos, said Nguyen Thi Hanh, owner of the Sy Dang Private Enterprise.

Fighting buffaloes must be carefully selected, well-fed and trained. These buffaloes must be between five and six years old, have a good appearance, wide chest, big groin, long neck, acute bottom and bow-shaped horns.

Selected buffalos often undergo strict training.  Every morning they have to practice “running” on land and then are put into marshy fields to practice close fighting.

In the afternoons and evenings, the buffalos listen to loud drums, television and radio to get familiar with the arena atmosphere where spectators scream at the animals during fights.

Fighting buffalos are fed grass, chicken egg porridge and vitamin supplements to properly grow for fighting.

High costs, short lives

Although, the cost of raising a fighting buffalo can be up to 40 to 50 million VND, the fighting life of buffalos is short.

Usually, they only join five to six fights and are then taken to the slaughterhouses.

Every year, the Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival is officially held on the 9th day of the eight lunar month in northern Hai Phong city.

The buffalo fight in Do Son is a traditional festival attached to a Water God worshipping ceremony. (Reported by Le Nga & Quang Hien - Translated by T.H.)