The Buffalo Race or Mekepung Attraction developed around the year of 1930, then the jockey dressed like palace soldiers. They were barefoot, wore head dress, a scarf, a vest, and trousers with a sword wrapped in checkered patterned cloth in the waist. Because the jockey got dirty after the mekepung in the muddy rice field, then they moved the attraction to the soil road near the rice field. This developed in the year around 1960, and they formed two adverse mekepung groups.
The one is called group "Ijo Gading Timur" with a red flag and the other group is named "Ijo Gading Barat" which chose green flag. Ijo Gading is the name of the river dividing the town of Negara, the capital of the Jembrana district. "Timur" means east and "Barat" means west. So the group "Ijo Gading Timur" means the group located in the east side of the Ijo Gading river, whereas the group "Ijo Gading Barat" means the group residing in the west side of the same river. Each group is fiercely defending the honour and the reputation of its own region.
The Mekepung attraction is held only in the Jembrana district, located in the south-west area of Bali. From Denpasar (the capital city of Bali island), it only takes one hour by car to the west. "Mekepung" is a Balinese word (the only Balinese terminology) that designates buffalo racing.
People inspired by the stage of soil management, that is, to soften the soil by using a lampit slau plough. In the process of softening the soil, farmers work together with other farmers and their wives to prepare food for them. Lampit slau plough is carried by two water buffalos and they are decorated with a large gerondongan bell which rings in producing a rock music when they move. It sounds grenjeng-grenjeng. Each of these ploughs is ridden by a jockey. The jockey sits on the plough.
During the activity, one feels inspired to have a race. This is the beginning of buffalo race or mekepung, i.e., a race in power to carry the ploughs.
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