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VOL 08 ISSUE 04 / APRIL 25, 2014

OMAN

FESTIVE FURY
VOL 08 ISSUE 04 / APRIL 25, 2014

Weekends are not complete without bullghts in many villages in Oman, as empty grounds near farmhouses turn into makeshift ghting rings where giant bulls lock horns, egged on by a vociferous crowd.

By T.A. Ameerudheen hese stocky bulls with massive muscles and strong horns scarcely walk. They travel from one village to another by trucks, carrying the huge weight of expectations of their owners. They are here to ght and make their owners proud. Hundreds of villagers cheer them when they get down from the vehicles, even as the impatient ghters announce their battle-readiness with rumbling calls. They kick mud with their hoofs as if to give an ominous warning to their opponents. A festive atmosphere does prevail in many villages across Oman, where weekends are not

complete without bullghts. It is, indeed, a treat for the villagers to watch 50-odd gigantic bulls of different breeds getting ready to ght for supremacy. The ghts begin only in the evening. Owners lead the bulls into the ring, and they hold the ropes that are tied to one of the legs until the referee gives the go-ahead sign. The oor is then left open for the ghters who lock horns, egged on by a vociferous crowd. The bout may last up to four to ve minutes, and the bull which forces his opponent to ee from the ring emerges the winner. His market value increases instantaneously as potential buyers approach his owner with tempting offers. Is it the lure for money that keeps bullghts alive in villages? Not at all. For us, it is a way of preserving an age-old tradition, asserts Salim Abdullah Salim Al Douhani, who is a key

Traditional sport
Bullght is known as blood sport in most part of the World, especially in Spain, Portugal, France, Mexico, Columbia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Peru, where one or more bulls will be baited and then killed in the ring for entertaining the audience. In sharp contrast, bullght remains a traditional sport in Oman, where the owners take extreme care not to inict injuries on the animals. The ghts last for ve to six minutes and a bull is declared winner if he is able to send his opponent out of the ring.

organiser of bullghts in Kaboorah Village, near Sohar. Bullght was a major sporting activity in rural Oman. The sheen of this event might have been lost a little bit in this modern age, but many youngsters keep the rich tradition alive by their active involvement, he adds. Preserving a legacy Salim drives down to his village every Thursday evening from Muscat. For the next two days, the 32-year-old, who works as a Human Resources Manager in a media house in Muscat, is busy tending his bulls, preparing food for them before taking them to ghting rings in different places. Bullght in Kaboorah began many generations ago, and we are happy to take the legacy

VOL 08 ISSUE 04 / APRIL 25, 2014

VOL 08 ISSUE 04 / APRIL 25, 2014

OMAN

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BULLFIGHTING IN OMAN
Running commentary The megaphone-wielding expert keeps the spectators interest alive when the ght intensies For the record Organisers of Kaboorah bullght maintain a record of those who lock horns and their market price Usually held on Friday afternoons in Kabourah village (about 175 kms from Ruwi roundabout): To Sohar

i ad W

Ba

th

a
Bull Arena
m 2k

500 m AL KHABOURAH

Police Station

Al Khabourah Roundabout

SOHAR

Al Suwayq AL KHABOURAH Barka Seeb MUSCAT

10 km

To Miskin

Types of bull
There are three common types:

Fatty hump

Omani breed (Specie: Bos indicus) Small-size ghter and reputed to be extremely brave. Large dewlap

Fatty hump Pakistani breed (Specie: Bos indicus) Medium-sized ghter. Large dewlap

Cattle (Specie: Bos taurus) Large-sized ghter and very expensive to acquire.
Graphics

forward, says Salim who rst attended a bullght as a 15-year-old, in the company of his father. It was a memorable day in my life. The entire village turned up at the venue. The ghts were awesome and the event lived up to our expectations. Now, Kaboorah hosts bullghts on Fridays, once a fortnight. The event sees around 60 bulls from as far as Seeb to Sohar, vying for honours. The local organising committee informs the participants about the event a week in advance, and the ghters arrive at the venue in the afternoon. The event begins at 4 pm on Friday, and lasts till 6.30. p.m. Spectators get a chance to watch 15 to 17 gruelling battles, each lasting for about 4 to 6 minutes, says Salim. The organisers take utmost care not to inict any injuries on the animals, and the ref-

eree pulls the bulls apart if the ght exceeds the time limit. The owners separate the bulls if the ght continues beyond the timeframe, informs Salim adding Strong bulls with big horns and strong muscles push their opponents out of the ring in no time. Salim, who owns three bulls, says ghter bulls need special diets to prepare for the tough competition. Most of the bulls in Oman come from India, Pakistan, UAE and Qatar. And they need special diets to strengthen their muscles and bones, in order to be ready for the ghts. I give my bulls banana leaves, dried sh, milk, and egg, and I hope they will rein supreme next week too, he remains optimistic. The next bullght is scheduled in Kaboorah village today (April 25). ameerudheen@hioman.com

Photos: A.R. Rajkumar