Banei keiba, or "trait-tract" races, take place all year round in Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan. The sport has its origins in the 19th century, when Japanese settlers used draft horses for agriculture, transporting goods, and mining.
The races, on which betting is authorized, were very popular a few decades ago. But Japan's demographic aging and economic stagnation then took their toll, leading to their disappearance, except inObihiro.