Kid Jockeys by Alain Schroeder

Once a game between neighbors to celebrate a good harvest, horse racing was transformed into a spectator sport by the Dutch in the 20th century to entertain officials and nobility.
Indonesia, Sumbawa Island, Moyo, Every jockey is accompanied onto the track by his Sandro where he, the numbered jersey he’ll wear and the horse he will ride are blessed before each race. The boy is then handed off to the trainer who will carry the young jockey down the long straightaway to the starting gate Once a game between neighbors to celebrate a good harvest, horse racing was transformed into a spectator sport by the Dutch in the 20th century to entertain officials and nobility. The unique features of Sumbawa racing are the notoriously small horses and fearless child jockeys, aged 5-10, who mount bareback, barefoot and with little protective gear. Maen Jaran (the Indonesian name of the game) takes place during important festivals and holidays throughout the year at racetracks across the island and remains a favorite pastime for Sumbawans. Rules have evolved, horses are now classified by age and height, yet kid jockeys continue to risk their lives for 3,50 to 7 euros per mount often racing many times in one day, and every day during the racing week, pushed by parents and relatives given the potential earnings that far outweigh the poor returns on crops often plagued by drought.   

Once a game between neighbors to celebrate a good harvest, horse racing was transformed into a spectator sport by the Dutch in the 20th century to entertain officials and nobility.

The unique features of Sumbawa racing are the notoriously small horses and fearless child jockeys, aged 5-10, who mount bareback, barefoot and with little protective gear racing at speeds of up to 80 kms per hour. Their only protection is the « Sandro », a spiritual healer who protects young jockeys by performing elaborate rituals and guiding them in training. Maen Jaran (the Indonesian name of the game) takes place during important festivals and holidays throughout the year at racetracks across the island and remains a favorite pastime for Sumbawans. Rules have evolved, horses are now classified by age and height, yet kid jockeys continue to risk their lives for 3,50 to 7 euros per mount often racing 5 to 6 times a day for a week, pushed by parents and relatives given the potential earnings that far outweigh the poor returns on crops often plagued by drought.

Alain Schroeder is a Belgian photojournalist born in 1955. In 1989 he founded Reporters, a well-known photo agency in Belgium. He has illustrated over thirty books dedicated to China, Persia, the Renaissance, Ancient Rome, the Gardens of Europe, Thailand, Tuscany, Crete, Vietnam, Budapest, Venice, the Abbeys of Europe, Natural Sites of Europe, etc.  Belgian titles include, « Le Carnaval de Binche vu par 30 Photographes », and « Processions de Foi, Les Marches de l’Entre-Sambre-et-Meuse ».  Publications include National Geographic, Geo, Paris-Match,…

He has won many international awards including a Japan Nikon Award 2017 for the Rohingya series, the TPOTY Travel Photographer of the Year Award 2017 with the series Living for Death and the series Kushti, and 1st prize at World Press Photo 2018 for the series Kid Jockeys in the category Sports Stories,… and participated in numerous exhibitions worldwide. He is represented in Belgium by Reporters and in France by the photo agency HEMIS. [Official Website]

Horse racing or Maen Jaran, is a favorite pastime in Sumbawa, Indonesia.

A child kockey straddles the starting gate in anticipation of mounting his horse. Behind, trainers prepare to position the horses in the blocks.

Every jockey is accompanied onto the track by his Sandro where he, the numbered jersey he’ll wear and the horse he will ride are blessed before each race. The boy is then handed off to the trainer who will carry the young jockey down the long straightaway to the starting gate.

Horse racing or Maen Jaran, is a favorite pastime in Sumbawa, Indonesia.

Sandro, Haji Abdul Latif (69) holds a jimal (amulet) over his grandson’s head and recites a prayer to give 6 year old Aldiansah strength and keep him safe. The Sandro is the spiritual healer who protects young jockeys by performing elaborate rituals and guiding them in training. Aldiansah, who started riding at age 3, eats a hearty breakfast in preparation for 5 races today. He is not afraid.

A jockey prepares for the gate to open as his trainer leans over him to make some final adjustments.

Horse racing or Maen Jaran, is a favorite pastime in Sumbawa, Indonesia.

Horse racing or Maen Jaran, is a favorite pastime in Sumbawa, Indonesia.

Two jockeys walking on the racetrack.

Horse racing or Maen Jaran, is a favorite pastime in Sumbawa, Indonesia.

Boys climb into the trees along the track for a good view of the race.

After a day of racing, horses are taken for a cooling bath. All the kids in the neighborhood take adavantage of the moment to play with the horses in the river. Here a young jockey playfully bonds with his horse outside the serious atmosphere of the racetrack.

Sandro, Haji Abdul Latif (69) pours water over his grandson’s head as he recites a prayer to give 6 year old Aldiansah strength and keep him safe.

After a day of racing, horses are taken for a cooling bath. All the kids in the neighborhood take adavantage of the moment to play with the horses in the river. Here a young jockey playfully bonds with his horse outside the serious atmosphere of the racetrack.

Sandro, Haji Abdul Latif (69) gently rests his forehead against his horse’s cheek, transmitting his spiritual energy to the animal. He ends the ritual by gently blowing on him.

Men watching the races in the tribune.

Onlookers, protect themselves from the sun with whatever is at hand.

Hands waiting for the trucks to take the horses home after a day of racing.

After a day of racing, horses are taken to the sea for a cooling bath followed by a fresh water rinse.

More Stories

Chess Portraits by Francesco Ridolfi

Chess Portraits by Francesco Ridolfi

Often, inside each one of us, opposing drives make themselves felt and alternate within as light illuminates and shadow darkens our minds. Black and White. Good plays Evil. Chess figures offer an opportunity to explore this dualism.
Metalheads of Botswana by Frank Trimbos

Metalheads of Botswana by Frank Trimbos

Botswana enjoys a growing number of heavy metal aficionados. Albeit small, the enthusiasm is no less. Actually, probably because the heavy metal community is so small across Africa, the dedication seems all the time more intense.
Rapa by Carlos Cazurro

Rapa by Carlos Cazurro

'Rapa' tries to show the thoughness of a centuries-old Spanish tradition called 'A rapa das bestas' that happens every summer on a few northern towns, mainly in Galicia, in which a few men (known as "aloitadores")
https://www.dodho.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/bannerpr.jpg

We invite you to participate in the first edition of the Portrait Photography Awards. Our call is open to any artistic interpretation of portrait photography.

https://www.dodho.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/BAnImage.jpg

ImageRights provides intelligent image search and copyright enforcement services to photo agencies and professional photographers worldwide.

https://www.dodho.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/mono2022.jpg

The best 100 images along with the winning images published in the yearly book “Monochromatic – Best Photographers of 2022”

https://www.dodho.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/banner24.jpg

Call For Entries #24 | After 23 editions and more than 100 published photographers, our print edition has proven to be a simply effective promotional channel.

Matador by Stuart Paton

Matador by Stuart Paton

'Matador' is my awkward air-kiss to Milan. An oblique portrait of the oblique city I'm struggling to call home. I'd love to say I skipped off the train, turned on a sixpence and effortlessly found the back of the net.
Taboo issues; See What I see by Kefilwe Monosi

Taboo issues; See What I see by Kefilwe Monosi

As a documentary photographer, I use storytelling and photojournalism to address taboo issues in my society, and mostly issues that are considered a taboo to freely talk about in African communities are these issues Sex work, LGBTQI community, Gender based violence, Mental health, Menstrual hygiene, abortion and many more and these themes continue to direct my visual reflections.
33 Rooms by Sasha Bauer

33 Rooms by Sasha Bauer

After graduating from university in my home town, I moved to St. Petersburg. Like many new arrivals, I needed to rent a place stay. Since I usually rented rooms in shared apartments, the fate of staying in a communal apartment did not pass me by.
Fictional narrative photography; Birth Undisturbed by Natalie Lennard

Fictional narrative photography; Birth Undisturbed by Natalie Lennard

Birth Undisturbed is a fictional narrative photography series by Natalie Lennard, that brings scenes of natural childbirth into cinematic fine-art tableaux.
Journey of the indian woman by Lopamudra Talukdar

Journey of the indian woman by Lopamudra Talukdar

India is a country in a hurry, a country everyone is waking up to and taking notice of. While our scientists are reaching out to the moon our industrialists are taking the world by storm with major acquisitions.
North Korea; Icons of rhetoric by Chris Barrett & Gianluca Spezza

North Korea; Icons of rhetoric by Chris Barrett & Gianluca Spezza

To what extent does the way we receive and perceive images in the digital era effect the transmission and circulation of ideas, ideologies and forms of knowledge?
9 years, 9 months by Dejan Mijović

9 years, 9 months by Dejan Mijović

My wife and I were trying to conceive our first child for more than 9 years. I had an accident 10 years ago and ended up quadriplegic.
Reginald Van de Velde ; The Fascinating Architecture of Cooling Towers

Reginald Van de Velde ; The Fascinating Architecture of Cooling Towers

Industrial zones located on the outskirts of big cities regularly feature cooling towers: tall, open-topped, cylindrical concrete towers used for cooling water or condensing steam from industrial processes.
Jasper by Matthew Genitempo

Jasper by Matthew Genitempo

Inspired by the life and work of the poet and land surveyor, Frank Stanford, these photographs of hermetic homes and men living in solitude were taken in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas and Missouri.
Olympe Tits : A different photographic vision

Olympe Tits : A different photographic vision

My work is an infinite going on of pictures that are all explaining the same. The characters will always been put in an new space with new impulses and new colors.Olympe’s dance experience helps her to achieve a different photographic vision.
Travel Photography; Kashgar, China story by Florian Ritter

Travel Photography; Kashgar, China story by Florian Ritter

I have travelled through many place in China, from far east to the north but have mostly found half developed cities, with not much culture left. I have this romanised phantasy about China
Inside the Camera Bag of Szymon Barylski

Inside the Camera Bag of Szymon Barylski

I have three camera bags, I use them depending on where I’m going. Lowepro Rover Pro 45L AW, Hama Defender, and Lowepro Computrekker AW- which is on the photo and inside is mainly my photo equipment.
Inside camera bag of Alain Schroeder

Inside camera bag of Alain Schroeder

Belgian photographer Alain Schroeder has been working in the industry for over four decades. During his tenure as a sports photographer in the 80s, his shots appeared on more than 500 magazine covers.
Travel Photography; Asia Project by Karina Flores

Travel Photography; Asia Project by Karina Flores

Her photography seeks to build a connection between the people who observe at them with the places and shaped objects, in order to generate a pause, a breath.
Long exposure; Histoire d’Ô by Arnaud Bertrande

Long exposure; Histoire d’Ô by Arnaud Bertrande

I recently started a job "Histoire d'Ô", which presents a series of long exposures taken around the theme of water.
Discovering the long exposure, I found the opportunity to work abstraction, loss of marks.
Beach or life by Soumyabrata Roy

Beach or life by Soumyabrata Roy

Yellow rope knot is at the other end of the sea side wall. This is a type of fishing method, after putting the net in the sea fisherman hold rope (yellow) and run almost 1 km. When a freak vagabond woman stuck in front of a Yellow rope and the sea may want to talk to her.

Featured Stories

Street photography by Joseph Atwere

Street photography by Joseph Atwere

My interest in still photography began in 2007. I bought my first camera which was a Canon 350D whilst on vacation in the US. I had quite a steep learning curve and spent many hours trying to get my head round the basics such as learning about f-stops etc.
Streets of New York; Nod of recognition by Barbara Jane Levine

Streets of New York; Nod of recognition by Barbara Jane Levine

Nod of Recognition is a series of portraits and street scenes of strangers captured on the streets of New York.  I walk, observe, and photograph people, following the path of light as it moves around the city. 
An Aerial Wonderland by Graham Earnshaw

An Aerial Wonderland by Graham Earnshaw

Graham took a morning flight in a small Cessna over the coastline of the main township of Broome, in the hope of capturing some beautiful and unusual aerials over nearby Roebuck Bay and Willie Creek.
Afromexican healers by Annick Donkers

Afromexican healers by Annick Donkers

At the end of last year my attention was drawn to the coastal region of Guerrero known as Costa Chica, located to the south of Acapulco.
The Iberians by Candy Lopesino

The Iberians by Candy Lopesino

The Iberian Peninsula is a geographical concept formed by Spain and Portugal, two geographically united countries but separately by an invisible border. 
Covid; Portrait series by Alkan Emin

Covid; Portrait series by Alkan Emin

Covid had struck planet earth and I was literally lost in all of my thoughts. I had these visions of the world ending and I felt like I was in a prison in my mind with all of this. 
Under the sign of the rat; Roger the Rat by Roger Ballen

Under the sign of the rat; Roger the Rat by Roger Ballen

Surreal, refined, disturbing: Roger Ballen has made a name for himself with his special eye for what is usually considered minor or outside, yet is nevertheless profound and touching.
Iceland by Alvaro Tejero

Iceland by Alvaro Tejero

Iceland, a paradise for photographers and lovers of nature and landscape. A unique and wonderful country. For those of us who live in Europe it is fortunate to have such a relatively close territory.
Gotham Visions; Second City by Emmanuelle Becker

Gotham Visions; Second City by Emmanuelle Becker

Gotham Visions / Second City is a portfolio of stylish, unsettling urban landscapes, a collection of dark, brooding night scenes shot in seemingly lifeless cities. Emmanuelle Becker’s imagery is cinematic and particularly influenced by American film noir and German expressionist cinema.
Intimidades by Guillermo Ignacio Rodríguez Lateulade

Intimidades by Guillermo Ignacio Rodríguez Lateulade

Intimidades is born from the spiritual claim about the hyper-sexualization of bodies and the subsequent trivialization of these by the, not so recent, vulgar vision of the cultural industry.
Meeting Sheila by Ashley Comer

Meeting Sheila by Ashley Comer

"I gave her life to give her life" are the words Sheila muttered to the nurse who so rudely asked why she was giving me up. After being raised by a loving family, I have immense gratitude for the life handed to me.
Time To Rush Home by David Nam Lip

Time To Rush Home by David Nam Lip

This portfolio is specifically captured an environment with expression of muslim people after they completed the congregation of the Bishwa Ijtema at Tongi, Bangladesh.
Patterns, lines, textures; Urban Moods by Alex Axon

Patterns, lines, textures; Urban Moods by Alex Axon

Urban Moods is a photo project that tells the story of the city dynamism through bicycles and umbrellas captured in constant movement and surrounded by patterns, lines, textures.
Calcio Storico Fiorentino by Marco Ponzianelli

Calcio Storico Fiorentino by Marco Ponzianelli

The Historical Football was born in Florence in the 16th century and it is a combination of soccer, rugby and wrestling world that nowadays is played in historical costumes.
My Name is Shahrukh by Debiprasad Mukherjee

My Name is Shahrukh by Debiprasad Mukherjee

These were the first few words uttered by a 7 year old, when he was rescued by the RPF from Platform No.4 of Sealdah Station, Kolkata, India. As the little child pushed his way through the crowd of thousands of people in the platform,
Pride and prejudice by Renata Dutrée

Pride and prejudice by Renata Dutrée

Pride and prejudice project was selected and published in our print edition 23. This ongoing series of studio portraits of young men is intended to challenge the viewer with social constructs that are centered around masculinity and femininity. Gender bias, gender roles and stereotypes can affect everyone negatively.

Trending Stories

We are here by Caroline Gavazzi

We are here by Caroline Gavazzi

"We are here" is a series of three-dimensional photographs by Caroline Gavazzi about the immigrants living in Riace (Italy) and their identities.
Black and white fine art; Essence series by Pamela Aminou

Black and white fine art; Essence series by Pamela Aminou

This series explores the way we see the world around us. The images that I often create stems how I see and feel about the world around me.
Til All Is Correct by Louise Fago-Ruskin

Til All Is Correct by Louise Fago-Ruskin

I like to think of my Great Uncle Moszek hovering  somewhere between floors 8 and 12 of Nalewki Street  9 in the Warsaw ghetto. It is a safe place, this imagined placement of his body. Down below the streets of the ghetto are not safe. A German soldier has been killed and revenge is about to be sought. Boots are  heard on the ground, moving ever closer to number 9.
Language of no alphabets by Monidipta Saha

Language of no alphabets by Monidipta Saha

We are the creation of nature who communicates with other through different languages which may either follow the ethereal vibration or the music of silence.
Salvador, the land where it all began by Vinicius Ferreira

Salvador, the land where it all began by Vinicius Ferreira

The new Brazil that is coming up seems intensify past stigmas. The city of Salvador, the land of the “discovering” , still show us the racial segregation, high levels of violence
Somnia by Mindaugas Gabrenas

Somnia by Mindaugas Gabrenas

So you leap from the ledge and, within seconds, find yourself observing the distant earth from above. You soar up and down like a bird feeling that disabling fear of weightlessness inside you
Xakriaba – A fading culture by Eduardo Moreira

Xakriaba – A fading culture by Eduardo Moreira

This work is a tribute to the Xacriaba, one of the many indigenous people of Brazil. A way to record in images a brave and noble people and their way of living. A culture that is fading and that may be lost forever.
Muharram festival by Debarshi Mukherjee

Muharram festival by Debarshi Mukherjee

The Muharram festival symbolizes the beginning of the new Islamic year. Muharram word is derived from the word ‘haram’ which means “forbidden”.People celebrate this as the first month of the twelve months of Islamic lunar calendar day when they see the crescent moon.
Virtue and vice; Carnival by Salvatore Matarazzo

Virtue and vice; Carnival by Salvatore Matarazzo

That is Carnival: a common spirit more than just a date. It’s a bizzare energy, a cathartic atmosphere, slipping through the streets, surrounding blocks, and revealing itself to those who are willing to be inspired.
Portrait photography; Challenging Stories by Josh Campbell

Portrait photography; Challenging Stories by Josh Campbell

Though fully immersed in the world of digital photography, Josh shoots B&W film and makes silver gelatin darkroom prints for his self-assigned projects.
Vending machines open all night by Yoshitaka Masuda

Vending machines open all night by Yoshitaka Masuda

Vending machines illuminate the passersby with their electric signboard even on a dark road at night. They satisfy the our thirst all night, and keep the neighborhood safe. 
Seeking Stephanie by Evie Metz

Seeking Stephanie by Evie Metz

Evie Metz was born and raised in a small town of South Florida and currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland, where she just graduated from MICA with a BFA degree. Her work has been exhibited in Baltimore, Miami, New York, and Oklahoma.

Other Stories

stay in touch
Join our mailing list and we'll keep you up to date with all the latest stories, opportunities, calls and more.
We use Sendinblue as our marketing platform. By Clicking below to submit this form, you acknowledge that the information you provided will be transferred to Sendinblue for processing in accordance with their terms of use
We’d love to
Thank you for subscribing!
Submission
Dodho Magazine accepts submissions from emerging and professional photographers from around the world.
Their projects can be published among the best photographers and be viewed by the best professionals in the industry and thousands of photography enthusiasts. Dodho magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any submitted project. Due to the large number of presentations received daily and the need to treat them with the greatest respect and the time necessary for a correct interpretation our average response time is around 5/10 business days in the case of being accepted.
- Between 10/30 images of your best images, in case your project contains a greater number of images which are part of the same indivisible body of work will also be accepted. You must send the images in jpg format to 1200px and 72dpi and quality 9. (No borders or watermarks)
- A short biography along with your photograph. (It must be written in the third person)
- Title and full text of the project with a minimum length of 300 words. (Texts with lesser number of words will not be accepted)
This is the information you need to start preparing your project for its presentation
To send it, you must compress the folder in .ZIP format and use our Wetransfer channel specially dedicated to the reception of works. Links or projects in PDF format will not be accepted. All presentations are carefully reviewed based on their content and final quality of the project or portfolio. If your work is selected for publication in the online version, it will be communicated to you via email and subsequently it will be published.
Contact
How can we help? Got an idea or something you'd like share? Please use the adjacent form, or contact contact@dodho.com
Thank You. We will contact you as soon as possible.
Submission
Dodho Magazine accepts submissions from emerging and professional photographers from around the world.
Their projects can be published among the best photographers and be viewed by the best professionals in the industry and thousands of photography enthusiasts. Dodho magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any submitted project. Due to the large number of presentations received daily and the need to treat them with the greatest respect and the time necessary for a correct interpretation our average response time is around 5/10 business days in the case of being accepted. This is the information you need to start preparing your project for its presentation.
To send it, you must compress the folder in .ZIP format and use our Wetransfer channel specially dedicated to the reception of works. Links or projects in PDF format will not be accepted. All presentations are carefully reviewed based on their content and final quality of the project or portfolio. If your work is selected for publication in the online version, it will be communicated to you via email and subsequently it will be published.
Get in Touch
How can we help? Got an idea or something you'd like share? Please use the adjacent form, or contact contact@dodho.com
Thank You. We will contact you as soon as possible.