‘Raja’ boasts of 65 championship medals; ‘Bhaargi’ and ‘Somu’ won 17 titles last year
Mysuru: Among the champion Kambala buffaloes that have arrived in Mysuru for Dasara Kambala are ‘Raja’, a dominant performer in the senior rope (Hagga) category with a lifetime tally of 65 championship medals and the pair ‘Bhaargi’ and ‘Somu’, which won 17 of the 28 Kambalas they competed in last year.
‘Bhaargi’ and ‘Somu’ are led by jockey Vandit Shetty, assisted by Umesh. Shetty has guided the buffaloes to 17 medal wins in Bengaluru and coastal Kambala events.
Every year, 28 Kambalas are held in the coastal region. This year, with the addition of Dasara Kambala, the 2026 racing calendar will have 29 Kambalas.
‘Bhaargi’ and ‘Somu’ led by jockey Vandit Shetty, assisted by Umesh.
‘Raja’, ‘Bhaargi’ and ‘Somu’ are owned by Nandalike Srikanth Bhat, an agriculturist and hotelier from Manipal, for whom rearing Kambala buffaloes is a passion and a matter of pride. He has raised several pairs on his farm and purchased others at cattle shandies.
Bhat owns nine buffaloes, six of which are participating in the Dasara Kambala. The animals and their support team have already reached Mysuru.
‘Raja’, who has won 65 championship medals in the senior rope (Hagga) category.
A 63-member team of caretakers, handlers and jockeys left Manipal yesterday in container vehicles, transporting six buffaloes and necessary equipment. The team stopped briefly at Kushalnagar around 11 am to rest before proceeding to Mysuru.
Srikanth Bhat’s buffaloes have competed in both junior and senior categories in the Hagga (rope) segment and have won 165 gold medals at various Kambala events in Dakshina Kannada. One of Bhat’s most celebrated buffaloes was Pandu, which won 201 medals in ‘Jodukare Kambala’ events during its lifetime. Pandu lived to the age of 26 and was cared for by Bhat for 14 years. The legendary buffalo died on Sept. 28, 2026.
Special care for champions
Srikanth Bhat has built a spacious, well-ventilated shed for his buffaloes on his 30-acre farm near Manipal. Their regular diet includes 5 kg of roasted horse gram, hay and half a kilogram of jaggery. They are also given 150 ml of sesame and coconut oil once a week.
Every morning, the buffaloes receive an oil massage before spending about three hours in the sun. They are then taken for a swim and bath in a specially designed pool. Their diet is adjusted according to the weather and the proximity of races. On regular days, they are fed lighter meals, while race days call for specialised energy-rich diets to keep them fit and agile without overfilling their stomachs.
Their routine also includes two to three hours of swimming and rest in water, along with systematic massages to ease muscle fatigue.
For Srikanth Bhat, the animals are more than racing buffaloes. They are family. He visits the farm every day to spend time with them. Whenever he approaches, they respond by flapping their ears and nodding their heads.
Besides Vandit Shetty, who has accompanied the buffaloes to Mysuru, several other jockeys have made a mark on the Kambala circuit and are taking part in Dasara Kambala. They include Mastikatte Swaroop, who has clocked 125 metres in 10.87 seconds, Karthik Gowda, Rakshith Shetty and Bajagoli Jogibettu Nishanth Shetty, known for their performances and speed records on the track.
This post was published on October 18, 2026 7:30 pm