Water Buffalo Beauty Pageant Kicks Off Harvest Season in Thailand
The annual water buffalo racing festival in Chonburi, Thailand, celebrated the beginning of the harvest season with a grand parade of decorated buffaloes and a beauty pageant for the animals. Water buffaloes, once humble farm animals, have become prized show animals, fetching high prices at auctions.
The festival featured a parade of buffaloes adorned with traditional wooden carriages, showcasing their owners' pride and craftsmanship. Among the participants was Tod, a 5-year-old water buffalo competing in a beauty pageant for the first time. Tod's owner, Thawatchai Daeng-Ngam, a food vendor and farmer, hoped his buffalo would make a strong impression.
The beauty pageant drew attention from across the country, with one notable entrant being Lookaew, an albino buffalo. Lookaew aimed to place in the top five, following in the footsteps of another albino Thai buffalo sold for a record 18 million baht after winning multiple pageants. The high demand for these animals has led to government support for buffalo conservation, recognizing their cultural and economic significance.
The water buffalo racing festival in Chonburi highlighted the shift of these animals from humble draft tools to prized symbols, with beauty pageants and high-profile auctions. Tod's participation marked a new chapter in his owner's journey, while Lookaew's presence underscored the growing interest in these majestic creatures.
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