The world’s only draft horse pulling race – Adventure King experiences a century-old carriage competition firsthand

Located at the northernmost tip of Japan, Hokkaido covers approximately 22% of the country’s total area and is also the 21st largest island in the world. Hokkaido is one of the world’s finest places where nature and human life coexist in perfect harmony, with each season and region offering its own unique charm. Among them, in Obihiro in eastern Hokkaido, there is a century-old carriage race that was even selected as a Hokkaido Heritage in 2004 (Note 1).

The “draft horse pulling race” features massive draft horses weighing around 1 ton pulling iron sleds carrying a jockey and heavy weights over a 200-meter track with two dirt mounds. Unlike the well-known flat horse racing, the draft horse pulling race tests not only speed but also the horse’s strength and endurance, as well as the jockey’s skill in overcoming obstacles to determine the winner. Hokkaido’s unique “draft horse pulling race” dates back to the Hokkaido pioneering era, when farming horses were compared for value and strength by having two horses pull against each other. It later evolved into its modern form. The “draft horse pulling race” can be described as a precious culture that has carried traditions into the modern era, and it is a one-of-a-kind carriage race born in Hokkaido.

After a long effort, Adventure King finally obtained filming permission to enter the training stable at Obihiro Racecourse, where he joined professional trainers for the draft horses’ morning practice. In sub-zero temperatures, the vapor rising from the draft horses overlapped with the morning sunlight, creating a magical scene.