CAMBODIA – Kampong Speu oxcart race draws huge crowd to annual event
Tith Kongnov / Khmer Times Mon, April 8, 2024
More than 3,000 people watched the spectacular oxcart racing in Kampong Speu province, more than double the number of people who witnessed the traditional sport last year.
Sun Meanchey, director of the Kampong Speu Department of Culture and Fine Arts, said yesterday, “We are thrilled to see such a huge crowd for the event announced just two weeks back. We organise the race every year in order to preserve the local culture and to protect the ageless value of the oxcart.”
He added that the race was held in a very vast area this year compared to other years, and preparations for the event were also better than the last year which saw 1,500 people attend.
He thanked the land owner for providing the expansive venue which helped the provincial authorities and the OxCart Association to accommodate more people and contestants this year.
Contestants from four provinces, namely Phnom Penh, Kampong Speu, Kampong Cham and Kandal took part in the annual competition.
He also requested the provincial administration to increase the amount of prize money so that more oxcart owners will be encouraged to participate in the competition in coming years.
Pich Oddum, 35, from Kambol district of Phnom Penh, said that he was delighted to bag the third prize despite being last year’s second prize winner. He said that the race is all about participation and it did not matter who won or lost when there was such a huge crowd watching the race.
The second prize winner was given $200 while the third place winner received prize money of $175. Last year there was no cash prize for the second and third place winners.
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SOURCE: Khmer Times, Cambodia Mon, April 8, 2024
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