Ban'ei

Ban'ei

Ban'ei horses in Obihiro Racecourse
Country of origin Japan
Equus ferus caballus

Ban'ei (輓曳 or ばんえい) is a form of horse racing, unique to the Tokachi area of Hokkaido, Japan. Powerfully built horses compete by pulling heavily weighted sleds up sand ramps while being urged on by jockeys sitting on top of the sleds.

The horses used in the races are crosses of Percheron, Breton, and Belgian breeds.

Formerly held in a number of places, ban'ei races are now only held at the Obihiro Racecourse. The popularity of the races has waned in recent years[1] and the Obihiro racecourse nearly closed before Softbank, a Japanese mobile phone company, provided funds for the races to continue. [2](Odds Park has since been honoured with its own race.)

Other companies, such as Rakuten and Sapporo Breweries have since joined in.

History

Ban’ei has its probable origin in agricultural work, when horses were used to cultivate crops and pull sleds of wood. Eventually, the horses were tested for speed in festivals of the late Meiji Era.

The popularity of ban’ei grew, and in 1953, Hokkaido’s four cities (Kitami, Asahikawa, Iwamizawa, and Obihiro) began to manage ban’ei. They ran the races until three of them closed operations in 2007 due to declining revenues. Obihiro racecourse is the only one currently active and it has racing almost every Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. (There are also extra days to mark special occasions, such as New Year.)[3]

Course

Separated course by lines

The course consists of a flat dirt track, 200 meters long. Two cants are in the course; the second one is called the “Ban’ei Point”, and rises very sharply. Horses run the course in their own tracks, separated by lines. Horses haul sledges which, including jockeys, weigh more than 400 kg or even 1 ton in big races like the “Ban’ei Kinen” (domestic Ban’ei Grade 1 (BG1)). Thus the winning time of big races is often slower than lower class races, where horses can be disqualified for not being fast enough.

Unique points

There are some differences between a standard flat race and ban’ei. In ban’ei, a horse has not finished the race until the end of the sledge passes the finish line. Second, horses can stop after passing the first cant. Sometimes, jockeys make their horses stop to give them a rest before climbing the second cant. Third, jockeys do not ride the horse. They sit on the sledge. Fourth, jockeys do not have a separate riding crop or horsewhip. They use only the reins for control and to urge the horses. Perhaps fifth point would be fact that status of ground isn't deemed by word classification, but by percentage.

Amount of weight which horse has to pull is determined by several factors: age (two-year-olds and mares get allowances), total money earned (determines both group and rating), group horse is in at the meeting (from 1-26) and "rating" of a group (Open, A1, A2, B1, B2, B3, B4, C1, C2 or D.)

In short, the system is very similar to allowance system in Japanese Thoroughbred racing. (Weight allowance of jockeys is counted either in 10 kg or 20 kg.)

Horses

A Ban'ei Horse

Ban’ei horses are larger than other types of racehorses. They are bred by crossing some heavy or robust breeds: Percheron, Breton, and Belgian and their weight can surpass 1 metric ton; twice that of a Thoroughbred. Today, they are registered as Nihon Bankei Shu (日本輓系種) by Japan Equine Affairs Association.

Colours of bay, chestnut, flaxen chestnut, black, gray and roans have been recorded to studbook. There have even been a few pinto ban'ei horses.[4][5][6] and one classified as "white".[7][8]

Only a small amount of foals born yearly are registered for racing as two-year-olds and most of them start racing at that age. Horses that do not pass inspection[9] are sold for human consumption. [10]

Former racehorses are usually sold for meat rather than put out to pasture until old age.[11] At the end of every fiscal year, profilic retiring racehorses are honoured at their own ceremony. NAR gives yearly award to best Ban'ei.[12]

Valuable horses

Horses with lifetime earnings exceeding 100 million yen.[13]

All except Super Pegasus became studs.

Famous jockeys

Akihiko Kanayama (明彦 金山) is a former ban'ei jockey. He won 3,299 races between 1969-1999, and became known by the name of "Mr. Ban'ei". He became a ban'ei horse trainer in 2000.[14]

Races (Ban'ei grade race)

Currently all held in Obihiro, over 200 metres. Once there used to exist 44 races for Ban'eis.[15]

Two-year-olds

BG1
The Irene Kinen (イレネー記念)
BG2
The Kuroyuri Sho (黒ユリ賞)
BG3
The Nanakamado Sho (ナナカマド賞) (formerly for three-year-olds)
The Young Championship (ヤングチャンピオンシップ)

Three-year-olds

BG1
The Ban'ei Derby (ばんえいダービー)
The Ban'ei Oaks (ばんえいオークス)
BG2
The Ban'ei Kikka Sho (ばんえい菊花賞)
BG3
The Ban'ei Daishoten (ばんえい大賞典)

Four-year-olds

BG1
The Temma Sho (天馬賞)
BG2
The Ginga Sho (銀河賞)
BG3
The Hakurin Sho (柏林賞)
The Queen Cup (クインカップ)

Three and four-year-olds

BG3
The Hamanasu Sho (はまなす賞)
The Poplar Sho (ポプラ賞)

Three-year-olds and up

BG1
The Ban'ei Grand Prix (ばんえいグランプリ)
The Obihiro Kinen (帯広記念)
The Ban'ei Kinen (ばんえい記念)
BG2
The Ban'ei Tokachi Oddspark Hai (ばんえい十勝オッズパーク杯)
The Iwamizawa Kinen (岩見沢記念)
The Kitami Kinen (北見記念)
The Heroines Cup (ヒロインズカップ)
The Champion Cup (チャンピオンカップ)
BG3
The Asahikawa Kinen (旭川記念)
The Hokuto Sho (北斗賞)
The Dream Age Cup (ドリームエイジカップ)

Defunct races

References

  1. ↑ Racing Statistics 2005-2015 (Racing by Local Governments)
  2. ↑ New York Times article on Ban'ei racing published 25 December 2006, accessed 24 October 2011
  3. ↑ 年間開催日程
  4. ↑ Ban'ei Angel Gaga
  5. ↑ Ban'ei Buchio
  6. ↑ Ban'ei Almond Gambare
  7. ↑ Hakuba Beauty
  8. ↑ Hakuba Beauty
  9. ↑ Ability Inspection Outline for Heisei 28
  10. ↑ ばんえい競馬コラム
  11. ↑ New York Times article on Ban'ei racing published 25 December 2006, accessed 24 October 2011
  12. ↑
  13. ↑ １億円達成馬
  14. ↑ 金山 明彦
  15. ↑ List of active Ban-ei races

External links

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