Chairman of the Association of equestrian sports throughout Indonesia (Pordasi) Bondowoso, Abdul Fatah, highlighted the challenges faced in the development of equestrian sports in Bondowoso. According to him, being a jockey is not easy, especially without dedication and a strong will to learn.
“If the jockey is easy, it is difficult if he is not diligent in learning,” said Abdul Fatah, referring to the importance of coaching from school age, ranging from the Tsanawiyah level to high school. He admitted that horse racing jockeys in Bondowoso are now dominated by students. Although it is still in its early stages, there are some athletes who are starting to show achievements even though they are not at their maximum.
Fatah emphasized that Bondowoso needs to pay more attention to athletes, especially those who struggle in the world of sports. “Bondowoso should pay a lot of attention to sports fighters,” he said. Moreover, horse racing is not yet a popular sport. One of the main obstacles faced was the lack of support from local officials, most of whom, according to him, had no interest in sports.
“Fortunately, these athletes are indeed riding hobbies,” he said. Currently, Pordasi Bondowoso members are few. Only 15 people. For 15 people, only eight horses were available. However, Fatah continues to strive, in the future this number can be increased by recruiting more athletes.
He also admitted that the financing for equestrian sports is very large, the price of horses is not cheap. So the attention of the local government becomes very important. “We hope the local government pays more attention, because this can have a positive impact on MSMEs and tourism,” he said, recalling that equestrian sports also have the potential to attract tourists.
On the other hand, Fatah expressed his concern for the original Bondowoso horses that began to become extinct because many were brought out by collectors from outside the region. “The original horses Bondowoso almost extinct, because many taken by friends outside,” he said. This, in his opinion, is due to a lack of attention to horse breeding, which is not considered as important as goat or cow breeding.
He is considered to be a strong horse. That is the reason many Bondowoso horse enthusiasts from out of town. To that end, Fatah hopes that the government will not only focus on the traditional livestock sector, but also begin to pay more attention to horse breeding. In addition to maintaining the heritage of Bondowoso, the empowerment of horse farms is also considered to be able to develop the local economy.