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The Agaw Horse Racing Festival on Monday is celebrated colourfully in Injibara, seat of the Agawawi administrative zone in Amhara region.
It has attracted as many as 60,000 horsemen this year. Young ladies, hundreds of them, have demonstrated wonderful horse riding skills when they competed in the event.
A visually impaired man, who is also a skilful and prominent rider, captured the attention of spectators.
According to sources from the region, the festival was started about 82 years ago and happens every year. It has become more popular and has been attracting the attention of millions of Ethiopians.
Authorities from the Amhara region have attended it. Work is in progress, according to Amhara Media Corporation, to make the festival a tourist attraction and get a UNESCO recognition as world heritage.
Injibara city administration is also working diligently to secure UNESCO designation of the event.
Watching sixty thousand horsemen competing in the event is definitely something entertaining and has the potential to attract a significant number of tourists from overseas.
Apart from racing, the event has a very colourful cultural aspect. Food, cultural dance and the beautiful Ethiopian cultural dress.
Ethiopia has a strong horse riding culture. Historically, Ethiopian warriors used horses in battles fought to maintain the independence of Ethiopia.
Pictures from the festival that were circulating on social media seemed to show excited crowds. A picture of a young lady which was taken during the festival has gone viral. It is admired for bringing out her natural beauty, without the use of any cosmetic products, and in her traditional clothes.
It got many Ethiopians on social media talking.
According to Daniel Gezahegne Wendemu, Yohannes Lakew, who works for Maedot 90 Media, took the picture.
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It is something to selebrate during this testing time. From your Eritrean friend
What a colorful and glorious culture. I wish there is more like this story that helps us more in knowing more about every group of people of the country we left behind. I am sure there are more hidden gems of humanity in that jewel of the colored. I thank the dear editors of this esteemed website for posting this article. It helped me learn about a group of people I never knew existed with such glorious culture.
Meanwhile, there is another uplifting story that has left me with ravaging goose bumps. It is the story of an Ethiopian referee who just officiated a semifinal match at CAF In Cameroons. I read his story on MSN news outlet. What he decided on the field during the match has ignited a storm of praise that has never been accorded to a referee of any sport for that matter. The over qualified Bamlak has taken the sports world by an earth shaking storm. Dear Bamlak! Thank you for making my day. I’m good now! I’m good for at least for a week. Here is the link:
msn.com/en-gb/sport/football/fans-hail-bamlak-tessema-as-the-best-referee-of-afcon-in-senegals-win/ar-AATpIdk