The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Universitas Gadjah Mada (FKH UGM) officially opened its 79th anniversary celebration on Thursday (Aug. 14) at the faculty’s lobby courtyard. This year’s opening featured a festival and an andong competition to preserve the traditional horse-drawn carriage as a unique cultural heritage of Yogyakarta.
Chair of the 79th Anniversary Committee, Dr. Setyo Yudhanto, explained that the opening was filled with various activities that could also be viewed through the faculty’s social media channels.
“For us, as the committee, this is perhaps the first time the opening event has been held in the format of an andong festival,” said Dr. Yudhanto.
In line with this, Dean of FKH UGM, Professor Teguh Budipitojo, warmly welcomed the attendees, noting that the event carried a different concept from previous years. He officially opened the series of events while expressing appreciation to all parties involved in organizing the anniversary celebration.
“Once again, we would like to express our deepest gratitude for the collaboration that has made this morning’s event possible,” said Professor Budipitojo.
The opening featured a range of activities, including MSME booths, a kuda lumping dance performance followed by a flash mob, an andong parade, a talk show on the welfare of working horses, door prizes, and, most notably, an andong competition across several categories.
Introducing the new concept, Dr. Yudhanto emphasized the committee’s intention to strengthen partnerships and highlight andong as both a cultural heritage and a distinctive feature of Yogyakarta.
“This is not only about horse health and welfare, but also about contributing more broadly to supporting Yogyakarta’s special cultural identity,” he added.
The andong competition consisted of three categories: traditional decorated andong, healthy horse competition, and exemplary coachman selection.
One of the judges, Professor Aris Haryanto, explained that the criteria for selecting exemplary coachmen included their general knowledge of traffic rules related to horse-drawn carriages, hospitality toward passengers, and familiarity with their andong and horses.
“The assessment of the horses and decorated andong began with a parade, followed by the evaluation of the coachmen,” explained Professor Haryanto.
Author: Alena
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Photographer: Donnie Trisfian