Podvrh 18, Tribunj 22212
Hrvatska

Tel: +385 22 446 513
Mob: +385 98 343 822
E-mail: danielunic@tempusfugit-tribunj.hr

Donkey races

This is an event which was started prior to 1952 and began when the students of Tribunj organised a donkey race during the Summer holidays. Since that time the race has become a traditional and annual event held during the first week in August but it is still a carefully guarded secret to foreigners.

2008 was the 41st consecutive race and there are strict rules that require only local people to be able to participate in the actual ride.

The riders all wear traditional national costume and the winner is the first past the post on a demanding and difficult course around the old village (on the little island).

This year there were about 10,000 visitors and for the third time in a rowthe winner was Ivan Durmancic riding his invincible donkey Rajka named inhonour by the Mayor of Vodice as Beautiful Branka, the mayor being BrankeJuricev-Martincev. Beautiful Branka passed the finishing line ahead of Napalm Bomb ridden by Nikola Jabuka and third place went to Sonja ridden byAntonio Perkov. The other nine donkeys were far behind the leaders.

The winner receives the Tribunj Cup and 500 euros.

And now another interesting fact about the donkey race...
A few years ago a Swiss couple with their three year old daughter arrived from Switzerland by donkey. They had read about Tribunj on the internet. Just imagine what a journey that was to undertake!

The Tribunj donkey race is now organised by Croatian Donkey. This is anassociation formed to protect donkeys and Logorun Island (commonly known asDonkey Island) is believed to have become the first protected resort for donkeys in the world.