2018 Photo Contest, Sports, 1st prize

Kid Jockeys

Photographer

Alain Schroeder

18 September, 2017

Sandro (spiritual healer) Haji Abdul Latif (69) holds an amulet over his grandson’s head and recites a prayer to keep him safe, as Aldiansah eats a hearty breakfast in preparation for the day’s Maen Jaran horse races, on Sumbawa Island, Indonesia.

Child jockeys ride bareback, barefoot and with little protective gear, on small horses, during Maen Jaran horse races, on Sumbawa Island, Indonesia. Maen Jaran is a tradition passed on from generation to generation. Once a pastime to celebrate a good harvest, horse racing was transformed into a spectator sport on Sumbawa by the Dutch in the 20th century, to entertain officials. The boys, aged between five and ten, mount their small steeds five to six times a day, reaching speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour. Winners receive cash prizes, and participants earn €3.50 to €7 per mount.

About the photographer

Alain Schroeder

Alain Schroeder is a Belgian photojournalist born in 1955. In 1989 he founded Reporters, a photo agency in Belgium.  Schroeder’s work has been published in National...

Technical information

Shutter Speed
1/4182
Focal length
35.0 mm
F-Stop
2.0
ISO
800

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