The competition was organized by local villagers at the Chaurashi village field on Friday (January 23) afternoon. Photo : BSS

MADARIPUR, Jan 24, 2026 (BSS) - Horse racing, once a vibrant traditional sport of rural Bangla, is gradually disappearing with the passage of time. 

However, efforts to preserve this age-old heritage continue in different parts of the country. As part of such initiatives, a historic horse racing competition was held in Rajoir upazila of the district on Friday.

The competition was organized by local villagers at the Chaurashi village field on Friday (January 23) afternoon. Thousands of spectators from various walks of life, including children, teenagers, men and women, gathered to witness the event, turning the entire area into a festive venue.

Horses of different breeds and colors-small and large, red, black and white-participated in the race. Alongside local entries from Madaripur, horses from Faridpur, Rajbari, Gopalganj and neighboring districts also took part in the competition.

Horse rider Sabbir Hossain from Paikpara area of Rajoir upazila participated with his horse named 'Dui Bhaiyer Maya'. "I don't race for prizes; I do it out of passion," he said.

Another rider, Nabil Hossain, who competed with his horse 'Ranjit Bachcha', said he regularly participates in races across the country. "Horse racing gives me great joy," he added.

The competition began at noon and continued in several stages until 4:00 pm. A total of 46 horses participated, each bearing unique and distinctive names such as Kangsraj, Dui Bhaiyer Maya, Tekor Pakhi, Dada-Natini, Hansraj, Tipu Sultan, Maeer Raja, Mukut Raja, Bangla Bhai, Trigger, Ranjit Bachcha, Army Tiger, Sonar Maina, and New Sonar Tori.

Spectator Nabanita Roy said, "I watched a horse race after a long time. Such events are rare now. Seeing so many people enjoying this traditional sport together feels wonderful."

After the races concluded, prizes were distributed among the owners and riders of the winning horses.

In the small horse category, Shubhraj secured first place, Amar Swapna came second, and Army Tiger finished third. In the big horse category, Joy Bangla won first place, followed by Sonar Maina in second and New Sonar Tori in third position. Additionally, Ranjit Bachcha received a special award.

Local spectators and cultural enthusiasts called for the continuation of such events to help revive and preserve Bengal's fading rural traditions.