The annual Bac Ha horse race is scheduled to take place in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai on May 30, with 180 horses running.

Pham Xuan, deputy director of the Lao Cai provincial Department for Culture, Sports and Tourism said that the jockeys taking part in the competition must be male, aged between 18-40 and come from Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Ha Giang, Lai Chau, Dien Bien or Son La provinces.

The jockeys will show their skills at the 1,500-m racecourse during both individual and team events. The winning team will receive a cash prize of VND10 million and the winner of the individual event will take home VND 5 million.

The horse racing tournament aims to create a new tourism attraction for Lao Cai province and the whole north-western region, and is expected to attract tens of thousands of domestic and foreign visitors.