Sawahlunto Derby

The Sawahlunto Derby is a flat horse race in Indonesia held for three-year-old colts and fillies. It is run over a distance of 1500 meters, usually in early December.

History

The Sawahlunto Derby was inaugurated in 2007 as part of 119th Sawahlunto City Anniversary Day, an initiative to promote "sport tourism" in the former mining town. While organized racing in West Sumatra dates back to the colonial era at venues like Bukit Ambacang, the Sawahlunto Derby represents a modern professionalization of the traditional Minangkabau pacu kudo.

2020 cancellation

The 2020 edition of the race was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. The event returned in 2021 with strict health protocols and limited spectators, before returning to full capacity in 2022.

2025 charity

Due to the 2025 Sumatra floods and landslides, the 18th edition held in 2025 dedicated its entire revenue from ticket sales and VIP contributions to the humanitarian cause. The event successfully raised Rp32,225,000, which the organizers announced would be converted into basic necessities for flood and landslide victims across West Sumatra.

Step races

Before a horse is allowed to compete in the Sawahlunto Derby, they must first go through a preliminary round. This consists of two heats, with 12 horses in each heat and the top 6 horses qualifying for the Sawahlunto Derby.

No	Race name	Grade	Distance
1	3 years old Derby Heat I	Elimination	Dirt 1500m
2	3 years old Derby Heat II	Elimination	Dirt 1500m
3	Sawahlunto Derby	Derby	Dirt 1500m

New format

For the 2025 edition, the organizing committee implemented a significant modification to the competition format by eliminating the qualifying heat rounds.

Regulatory basis

The decision to forego the heat rounds was authorized by the Board of Stewards and the organizing committee, adhering to the results of the Indonesian Equestrian Sports Association National Working Meeting Revision dated September 10, 2025. This format change was officially communicated to stable owners and trainers during the barrier drawing session held on November 30, 2025.

Ranking mechanism

In lieu of physical qualifying races, the selection of the 12 horses eligible for the Main Race was determined through a ranking system based on historical performance records. The Board of Stewards assessed candidates using the following criteria:

Regional Entrants: Points were calculated based on the horses' performance in the two most recent championships: the Payakumbuh Horse Race and the Padang Panjang Horse Race.
External Entrants: Evaluation was based on the results of the last two races participated in by the horse in their respective regions, provided that the distance and age categories were equivalent.

Competition implications

Based on this ranking system, participants were allocated into two final categories:

Main Class : Horses ranked 1st through 12th qualified for the main gates to compete for the 2025 Sawahlunto Derby title over a distance of 1,500 meters.
Consolation Class : Horses ranked 13th and below were diverted to compete in the Class AB 3-Year-Old category over a distance of 1,300 meters.

Records

Most wins by a jockey:

2 wins – Yoserizal
2 wins – Rudy Junior

Most wins by a trainer:

2 wins – Iwan Kurniawan

Most wins by an owner:

2 wins – Beni Amniza Putra

Fastest winning time :

1:38.48 – Pesona Asmara
1:38.99 – Delima Queen
1:39.21 – Ratu Aquila