The use of underage jockeys might close the only racecourse in Vietnam, involved parties fear, after the illegal practice came under the authorities’ scanner recently.

Fifteen-year-old jockey Vu Thanh Tu waits before the start of a race at the Phu Tho Racecourse in Ho Chi Minh City.

The labor department said horse owners have hired jockeys between 10 and 17 years of age who are pushed into the “dangerous sport” after being trained for just a few months.

Although the sports department has taken no action yet, the document has ignited heated debate among authorities, horse owners and the young jockeys.

Horse owners said most of the racehorses are of a small-sized breed that cannot carry heavy jockeys.

According to the Thien Ma Company, organizer of all races at the course, only 10 of around 850 horses are large-sized thoroughbreds, while others weigh less than 250 kilograms.

Owners of small horses have no choice but to hire jockeys under 17 years of age weighing less than 40 kilograms, the company says.

Of nearly 50 jockeys at the course, only 10 are more than 18 years old, and these only ride the 10 bigger horses.

“It’s hard to find a jockey over 18 who weigh less than 38 kilograms,” said one of the trainers. “If concerned authorities are determined to enforce the working-age law, the racecourse would have to close and more than 800 horses have to shift to pulling carts.”

Nguyen Van Be of Hoc Mon District said his grandchild is a young jockey and it was unfair to say horse owners have abused him.

One 15-year-old jockey said he doesn’t know what he would do if he is not allowed to continue with the job.

Le Tien Cong, a horse owner from Hoc Mon District, said enforcing the minimum working age regulation was sad news as it was not possible to find jockeys for their small horses.

“Horse owners would go bankrupt because they are breeding racehorses that cannot race because there are no jockeys,” he said.

Keep children out

Tran Van Nghia, former deputy manager of the racecourse, said the sport is inextricably associated with gambling and is clearly a harmful environment for children.

“When I was working here before the [2004] Law on Child Protection, Care and Education, we recognized that we were following outdated practices and lacking humanity in hiring children to work as jockeys,” he said.

He then decided to import two horses for US$200,000 from Hong Kong to improve the quality of the local breed.

However, Nghia admitted that improving the breed was not a truly effective measure to prevent abuse of underage jockeys.

“The only solution is to import all horses from abroad,” he said. “A common racing horse in Australia costs between $5,000 and $10,000 which is within the reach of horse owners.”

“I totally support the enforcement of laws on child protection. It’s not the environment for them.

“It’s really dangerous for the children and society, as the underage jockeys will develop improperly, both physically and spiritually.”

He said the enforcement of the law would also help the racecourse develop to international standards.

Special sport?

Huynh Tan Dung, chief inspector of HCMC Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, said horseracing is not considered a type of employment that allows underage workers, as it is different from other sports that allow talented players younger than 18 to participate.

He said underage jockeys would be legal as long as the labor ministry conducts scientific research on the physical and psychological characteristics of children before deciding the issue.

Nguyen Hung, deputy director of HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said horseracing should be considered a special sport to find a workable solution to the underage jockey issue.

Nguyen Ngoc My, director of the Thien Ma Company, said he would hold a meeting on May 9 with horse owners to find a reasonable solution.

“The labor department is right to consider the issue,” he said. “But horse racing should be considered a sport that deserves exceptions [on age regulation].”

“We would require the horse owners not to hire very young jockeys and would hold a training course in July for children who want to be jockeys,” he said, adding that the applicants will be required to have health certificates and the consent of their families.

VietNamNet/TT/TN