Kerapan Sapi

Kerapan Sapi

The Kerapan Sapi (Bull Race) is an annual event that draws visitors and enthusiasts from different parts of Indonesia and the world. The Kerapan Sapi is held at Madura Island. These bull races are very singular to Madura Island. The Kerapan Sapi was born out of the custom of plough teams racing and competing against each other across barren fields. This was a sporting love of an early King of Sumenep, one of the towns on the island. The Kerapan Sapi is held nowadays from August to October. This festival gives a golden opportunity to the locals to throw overgenerous festivals to follow the races.

The bull races finally end in the grand finals held in Pamekasan, the capital. Before the racing starts the bulls are paraded through the towns, decorated with flowers, ribbons and gilded halters. It is really a wonderful spectacle to see different bulls dressed in a colorful way and parading down the roads.

While the Gamelan musicians divertimento the bulls they are fed arak (a potent South East Asian rice-wine spirit). This is done in order to excite the bulls for the race. Only then are they set free to charge down the track, or into the audience as occasionally happens.

The race does not take much time as the bulls break the human 100 metres record by crossing the distance in just nine seconds. The Kerapan Sapi will start from 9 am onwards this year.

The Kerapan Sapi is filled with excitement and thrill. You will certainly enjoy every moment of the race.

The quickest and comfortable way to get to Madura Island is by air and there are flights connect to Madura Island from Surabaya. Trunojoyo Airport (Indonesian: Bandara Trunojoyo) is an airport near Sumenep at Madura Island.

Airfast Indonesia and Susi Air offers schedule commercial flight to Trunojoyo Airport from Surabaya.