Yak racing
Encyclopedia
Yak racing is a spectator sport
held at many traditional festival
s of Tibet
, Northern Pakistan and Mongolia
, and can be one of the most entertaining parts of a Tibetan horse festival, in gatherings which integrate popular dances and songs with traditional physical games. Each of the competitors, which commonly number 10 or 12, mounts his yak
, and the yaks run towards the opposite end of the race course in a sprint. Yaks can run surprisingly fast over short distances. The winner is usually given several khata
(a traditional Tibetan scarf) as well as a small amount of prize money. Yak racing is also known to be performed in parts of Kazakhstan
, Kyrgyzstan
and in Pamir
in Pakistan
.
Yak racing became an integral part of the Jyekundo (Yushu
in Chinese) Horse Festival in 2006. It was held 20km south of Jyekundo near the small township of Batang with over 20,000 people in attendance. For the 2007 horse festival all 6 counties of Yushu
Tibet Autonomous Prefecture are combining resources and financing together to provide a larger festival, called Khampa Arts Festival (Chin. Kangba Yishu Jie) in the prefecure capital of Jyekundo with an anticipated 40,000 to 50,000 people in attendance. Yak racing is also an integral part of the nineteen-day Darma Festival in Gyangze, and a comic highlight of the Damxung
Horse Festival also known as the Dajyur
.
Yak racing is also a common sport in the farming and stockbreeding areas on the grand Tibetan Plateau
. They hold yak racing events annually to celebrate the good harvest, and they pray for good weather during the coming year.
In the northern Khangai Mountains of Mongolia
, the traditional Yak Festival is held near the lake Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur
every year, on the first and second days of August. Nomadic culture in the Khangai Mountains is very strong, and the area has one of the highest concentrations of yaks in the world. The event is eagerly anticipated by the community and great fun is had by all participants. The event includes yak racing and showing, wild stallion and yak rodeo
riding, milking contests and other traditional Naadam
events of horse racing, wrestling
and archery
.
Spectator sport
A spectator sport is a sport that is characterized by the presence of spectators, or watchers, at its matches. For instance, Tennis, Rugby, F-1, baseball, basketball, cricket, football , and ice hockey are spectator sports, while hunting or underwater hockey typically are not...
held at many traditional festival
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
s of Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
, Northern Pakistan and Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, and can be one of the most entertaining parts of a Tibetan horse festival, in gatherings which integrate popular dances and songs with traditional physical games. Each of the competitors, which commonly number 10 or 12, mounts his yak
Yak
The yak, Bos grunniens or Bos mutus, is a long-haired bovine found throughout the Himalayan region of south Central Asia, the Tibetan Plateau and as far north as Mongolia and Russia. In addition to a large domestic population, there is a small, vulnerable wild yak population...
, and the yaks run towards the opposite end of the race course in a sprint. Yaks can run surprisingly fast over short distances. The winner is usually given several khata
Khata
A khata, khada, khadag, or hada is a traditional ceremonial scarf common in Tibetan and Mongolian culture. It symbolizes purity and compassion. It is usually made of silk. Tibetan khatas are usually white symbolising the pure heart of the giver, though it is quite common to find yellow gold khatas...
(a traditional Tibetan scarf) as well as a small amount of prize money. Yak racing is also known to be performed in parts of Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
, Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic is one of the world's six independent Turkic states . Located in Central Asia, landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east...
and in Pamir
Pamir
Pamir may refer to:* a pamir, a U-shaped grassy valley in the Pamir Mountains**Great Pamir, a high valley in the Wakhan on the border of Afghanistan and Tajikistan**Little Pamir, a high valley in the Wakhan, Afghanistan...
in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
Yak racing became an integral part of the Jyekundo (Yushu
Yushu
Yushu may refer to the following locations in China:*Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture , in Qinghai*Yushu, Jilin , city in Jilin*Yushu County , in Qinghai*Yushu Town, the name of a number of towns...
in Chinese) Horse Festival in 2006. It was held 20km south of Jyekundo near the small township of Batang with over 20,000 people in attendance. For the 2007 horse festival all 6 counties of Yushu
Yushu
Yushu may refer to the following locations in China:*Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture , in Qinghai*Yushu, Jilin , city in Jilin*Yushu County , in Qinghai*Yushu Town, the name of a number of towns...
Tibet Autonomous Prefecture are combining resources and financing together to provide a larger festival, called Khampa Arts Festival (Chin. Kangba Yishu Jie) in the prefecure capital of Jyekundo with an anticipated 40,000 to 50,000 people in attendance. Yak racing is also an integral part of the nineteen-day Darma Festival in Gyangze, and a comic highlight of the Damxung
Damxung
Damxung is a small modern Tibetan town of low-barrack like buildings and is the administrative centre of Damxung County near Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region. Unlike many of the quaint old Tibetan settlements in the more southern farming areas of Tibet this town is modern, built up...
Horse Festival also known as the Dajyur
Dajyur
Dajyur or the Damxung Horse Festival is a Tibetan festival that takes place at the beginning of the eighth month of the lunar calendar throughout southern Tibet. The festivities last for ten days with events such as horse racing, bicycle riding contests, and rock-carrying competitions contributing...
.
Yak racing is also a common sport in the farming and stockbreeding areas on the grand Tibetan Plateau
Tibetan Plateau
The Tibetan Plateau , also known as the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau is a vast, elevated plateau in Central Asia covering most of the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai, in addition to smaller portions of western Sichuan, southwestern Gansu, and northern Yunnan in Western China and Ladakh in...
. They hold yak racing events annually to celebrate the good harvest, and they pray for good weather during the coming year.
In the northern Khangai Mountains of Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, the traditional Yak Festival is held near the lake Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur
Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur
Terkhiin Tsagaan Lake also known as White Lake is a lake in the Khangai Mountains in central Mongolia. The Khorgo volcano is located near the eastern end of the lake and the Suman River springs from lake....
every year, on the first and second days of August. Nomadic culture in the Khangai Mountains is very strong, and the area has one of the highest concentrations of yaks in the world. The event is eagerly anticipated by the community and great fun is had by all participants. The event includes yak racing and showing, wild stallion and yak rodeo
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
riding, milking contests and other traditional Naadam
Naadam
Naadam is a traditional type of festival in Mongolia. The festival is also locally termed "eriin gurvan naadam" "the three games of men". The games are Mongolian wrestling, horse racing and archery and are held throughout the country during the midsummer holidays...
events of horse racing, wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
and archery
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
.
External links
- Yak Racing — photographs and information
- Photograph of yak racing
