Vietnam’s elephant race draws cheers, and critics
BUON MA THUOAT, Vietnam — Mahout Y Hoi Bya sits atop his elephant, whacking him with a large stick to urge him toward the finish line at the Buon Don race in Vietnam's central highlands. Locals say the race is a celebration of the much-revered animals — traditionally thought of as family members in this part of Vietnam — but conservation groups are calling for an end to the festival, which they say is cruel and outdated. Normally held every two years, the Buon Don elephant festival — a major tourist event — features football matches, swimming sessions, a parade and a buffet for the animals, topped off with a highly anticipated race on the event's final two days. Y Hoi says his animal's past successes in the popular race has earned him and his pet pride of place in his village in central Dak Lak province, home to many of Vietnam's surviving elephants."He often wins first place in the running competition in Dak Lak," said the 38-year-old, who started caring for elephants as a young boy. His elephant's pre-competition routine involves a regular diet of bananas and sugarcane to ensure its strength, Y Hoi, from the Ede ethnic minority…