Ban'ei horses are from Hokkaido, Japan, where they are used
for unique draft races, called the Ban-ei Keiba races, in which the horse pulls
a heavy sledge (called a Sori). These races, which are only conducted at four
racecourses in Hokkaido, are run by such heavy horses bred from stock such as
the sturdy Percherons, Bretons and Belgians, which pull a steel sleigh carrying
a heavy load, together weighing from about half a ton to one ton (including
jockey, sledge, and harness), along a 200-meter separated straight track with
two humps.
The dynamic Ban-ei Keiba races, which enjoy a large
following, originated as a competition among farmers and locals at least 55
years ago at festivals in the areas in Hokkaido and Tohoku. It started as a
competition to test a horse's value for farming from its strength and
endurance. Two horses were pulled mutually, and whichever won was more valuable
than the other, and so on. It was in November 1946 that Article 9 of the local
horse racing enforcement rules was written, which declared that Ban-ei Keiba
racing to become public management. Administrative divisions sponsored in 1946,
and the city began to manage it in 1953. These horses had been requisitioned as
military horses, and there was a rush for production which didn't include
quality, and the breeds decreased sharply. It was left to the public
management, with two economic reconstruction policies that included increasing
the feed production and promoting the Ban-ei Keiba races. Steadily, over time,
this sport became popular and was strictly regulated to protect the horses.
Interesting points about these races: In the Ban-ei Keiba
races, muddy racetracks are an advantage, not a hindrance, as in thoroughbred
horse racing. While mud may make it more difficult for a horse to gain footing,
most draft breeds are bred to work in wet weather. The sledge is often much
easier to pull in the mud than it is over dry ground. The horse also may stop
occasionally during the race, to gain footing or get their breath before
tackling one of the humps. You could almost consider Ban-ei Keiba races a game
instead of a race. The jockey's skill and technique is much more important in
Ban-ei Keiba racing in comparison to Thoroughbred racing. The jockey must
decide whether to carefully clear the two obstacles, or whether the horse might
be able to attack and conquer them in one run-through without a rest. The
horse's speed isn't as important in these races as its endurance is, again
unlike Thoroughbred racing. Ban-ei Keiba followers do expect magnificence at
these races, they expect dynamic impression.
Ban'ei horses are Sorrel, Chestnut, Brown, Black, or Gray. There
are three main types of Ban-ei horses, the Percheron type, the Breton type, and
the Belgian type. While these horses aren't necessarily purebred, they tend to
take on the characteristics of the purebreds of those breeds.
About Ban'ei Horses
