The giant three-legged horse from Sanyi relocates to Keelung — "dismembered" and bidding farewell at a farewell party

▲The yellow giant wooden horse from Yilan’s Sanyi Township will make its debut at Keelung Ocean Plaza on the 20th, leaving its hometown to fulfill a tourism mission. (Photo / Reporter Chen Tzu-yin, file photo)

Reported by Chen Tzu-yin / Taipei

Yilan’s wooden horse “YoYo Rock” bid farewell to Sanyi Township today (16th) as it was invited to be exhibited at Keelung Ocean Plaza. Moving a two-story-tall, 4.5-ton wooden horse is no easy task. The Sanyi Township Office disassembled the horse into three parts — the head, tail, and body — and hired a flatbed truck for the move. Huang Hsi-yung, magistrate of Sanyi Township, said that lending out the Sanyi wooden horse aims to add a touch of childlike charm to Keelung and also attract more tourists.

To mark the wooden horse’s “departure,” a farewell party was held today in Sanyi Township for the big horse “YoYo Rock,” where local children gave it an emotional send-off. Huang Hsi-yung stated that the horse’s exterior has been repainted and its overall structure reinforced. He also asked the Keelung County Government to ensure the best possible protection for the giant horse.

The large wooden horse from Yilan will officially make its debut at Keelung Ocean Plaza starting July 20 and will remain on display until August 24. The Sanyi Township Office also announced two promotional measures: first, visitors who take photos with the “YoYo Rock” horse during the exhibition period can receive a free scallion pancake voucher at the Sanyi Township Office; additionally, those staying at homestays in Sanyi can enjoy a 30% discount. The township office also revealed that next Lunar New Year, the Rocky Horse will return with friendly mascot babies to Flower Field, where travelers can once again see its huge and playful figure in Sanyi Township.