On March 12, Mr. Tran Anh Vu - Chairman of the People's Committee of Lao Bao commune (Quang Tri province) said that the locality is coordinating with functional forces to inspect the scene and verify the cause of the serious damage to the "Ma dao thanh cong" horse statue displayed in the Tam Thuy lake area.
According to the leader of Lao Bao commune, the incident was discovered on March 11 when some details of the horse statues were slightly damaged. Initially, the locality intended to invite workers to repair them. However, by the evening of the same day and the morning of March 12, the damage situation became more serious.
It is unclear what items were used, but the horse statues were all impacted in the legs and heads, causing many details to be broken and deformed. Possible act of sabotage," said the leader of Lao Bao commune.
The horse statue cluster consists of 8 horses, erected on the occasion of the Binh Ngo Lunar New Year 2026 and once attracted a large number of people and tourists to visit and take photos. Images of the herd of horses were also widely shared on social networks, receiving many compliments.
Currently, some horse statues have broken heads, lost legs, and broken many details, causing the overall aesthetics of the project to be affected. This situation makes many local people feel regretful.
This is the effort of businesses, philanthropists and local authorities to create a highlight to attract tourists. The model is expected to be displayed until the end of April 30, but the incident happened and made everyone sad," shared the leader of Lao Bao commune.
Local authorities are inspecting the current situation and considering extracting camera footage in the area to clarify the cause. If sabotage is identified, functional agencies will handle it according to the provisions of law.
The model of the herd of horses is inspired by the saying "Ma dao thanh cong" (Horse arrives with success). Each horse has different sizes and shapes, from 2 – 3.5m tall, shaped in a galloping posture, expressing strength, vibrancy, symbolizing the spirit of the new year.
The inner frame of the model is made of iron, the outer shape is made of foam, covered with many layers of plaster, glue and finishing paint. The construction process requires meticulousness to ensure aesthetics as well as the ability to withstand outdoor weather conditions.
The author of the model is artisan Dinh Van Tam (residing in Trieu Binh commune, Quang Tri), who has created many Tet mascots that have attracted attention in recent years such as Tiger (2022), Cat (2023), Dragon (2024) and Snake (2025).
