Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival is a traditional folk festival, associated with the custom of worshiping water gods and sacrificing, which has existed for a long time, preserving spiritual cultural activities, community cultural identity, expressing the martial spirit of the people of Do Son coastal area with the desire to conquer nature, master the sea, praying for favorable weather, bumper crops, national peace and prosperity, and people's lives to be warm and happy.
In 2012, the festival was recognized as a "National Intangible Cultural Heritage" - showing the spiritual cultural values, the long-lasting and strong vitality of the festival in the spiritual life of the people.
Speaking at the opening of the qualifying round of the Do Son traditional buffalo fighting festival 2026, Mr. Nguyen Quang Dien - Chairman of Do Son Ward People's Committee - emphasized that with the attention of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; the close attention and direction, creating favorable conditions from the City Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee of Hai Phong City, allowing Do Son Ward People's Committee to organize the traditional buffalo fighting festival with 2 rounds: qualifying round (June 8th of the lunar calendar) and final round (August 9th of the lunar calendar), in accordance with the origin of the local traditional festival and the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Registration. The organization of the qualifying round is of great significance, not only to select the best "buffaloes" for the final round, improve quality but also to bring the festival to an international level.
On the morning of July 21, 32 "buffaloes" participated in competition with 16 knockout rounds to select the 16 best buffaloes for the final round held on the morning of September 19 (ie August 9th of the lunar calendar) at Do Son Ward Central Stadium. Previously, in terms of expertise, the organizing committee had repeatedly checked the conditions of the "buffaloes"; only buffaloes that meet the standards of origin, health, and especially ensure safety are allowed to participate in competition. The festival regulations have also been supplemented and completed to increase fairness, transparency and ensure absolute safety when the festival takes place.
Some images of the qualifying round of the traditional Do Son buffalo fighting festival 2026:
