WHAT else but the bangus stands as the ‘star’ of the Bangus Festival.

And as in previous years, the fish that has made Dagupan famous takes the spotlight during the Bangus Rodeo, a competition for the heaviest, longest and prettiest bangus.

Scheduled on April 23 at the Malimgas Market, the event is open to bangus growers from the city and the neighboring coastal towns of Binmaley, Lingayen, Sual, San Fabian, and Bolinao, among others to further promote the bangus industry not only in Dagupan but in the whole province.

City Councilor Marcelino Fernandez, event chair, said qualified to compete are those cultured in fishponds and fishpens as the physical features or “look” of bangus grown here are far better than those that thrive in the sea.

Fernandez, himself a bangus raiser and had winning entries in the previous years’ Bangus Rodeos, said judges will be able to easily see the difference between pen or pond-grown bangus, which get regular feeding, against the sabalo (bangus breeders aged five years old) from the sea.

“Bilog na bilog yong hitsura niya (those grown in fishponds and pens) kasi pag sabalo hindi na siya bilog,” he said.

Last year’s winner in the heaviest category weighed more than seven kilograms while the longest was almost one meter long.

Fernandez said the secret to raising big bangus is in careful segregation of some during harvest time and leaving them in thepond until another set of fingerlings is for harvest.

For the “prettiest” bangus, the fish should look fresh with its scales intact and shiny, the eyes clear and not reddish, the lips reddish, and a rounded belly.

Cash prize of P15,000 will be given to the winner of each category.

Also part of the Bangus Rodeo is competition for the fastest bangus classifier, fastest deboner and fastest bangus eater.

Interested applicants should contact the City Agriculturist Office.#

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