The Korea Racing Authority Cup was held far away in South Africa.
According to the Korea Racing Authority on the 8th, the Korea Racing Authority Cup was held the previous day (Korean time) at the Greyville Racecourse in Durban, South Africa, together with the local racing operator Race Coast Turf Club (RCTC).
This year marks the 17th exchange race between the Korea Racing Authority and South African racing operators. The Korea Racing Authority plans to strengthen cooperative ties between the two countries' horse racing industries through this race, while also carrying out global promotional activities to introduce Korean racing and Korean culture locally.
On race day, the Greyville Racecourse hosted a variety of Korean culture experience events under the theme "All Things Korean." Programs allowing local South African spectators to experience Korean culture firsthand included K-pop performances and dance programs, as well as fan dance, samul nori (traditional Korean percussion), hanbok performances, a lotus lantern photo zone, bibimbap making, and Korean cuisine experiences.
Recently in South Africa, interest in Korean culture has been rapidly expanding beyond K-pop and K-dramas to K-food and K-beauty. Demand to experience Korean culture firsthand is also rising, with about 2,000 local citizens visiting a Korean cultural festival held in Johannesburg early this month over two days.
Cooperation with South Africa extends beyond race exchanges to talent development. The Korea Racing Authority is conducting about two years of professional training for five aspiring domestic jockeys in cooperation with the South African Jockey Academy (SAJA). After completing international-level jockey training including riding techniques, racehorse management, weight and fitness management, and practical riding, the trainees plan to compete for domestic jockey selection.
The authority is also exploring the potential for overseas expansion of domestic horse industry-related companies by introducing jockey goggles developed by a small but strong Korean company to local jockeys and jockey academy trainees.
The Korea Racing Authority said, "We plan to continue pursuing various international cooperation projects, including exchange races, horse racing personnel training, and support for horse industry-related companies, to enhance the global competitiveness of Korean racing and contribute to expanding private and cultural exchanges utilizing the horse industry."
