(Photo: kinhtedothi)

16 elephants from across the province competed in football, racing, and swimming events. Mahout Y Nhat Bya from Krong Na hamlet said he had prepared for the contests for a long time.

“I started training my elephant in February. I fed him with bananas, pineapples, and other nutritious foods. My elephant won third prize this year,” Bya said. 

Nguyen Van Ha, Deputy Director of the Dak Lak provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism said the elephant race is a time-honored tradition of the local people.

“In addition to sporting contests, we re-enacted the elephant hunting ritual. We hope to attract more visitors to Buon Don district, home to the largest number of elephants in Vietnam,” Ha said. 

The elephant contests were featured as part of the ongoing Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival.