Nature of sports
The Basques had been doing physical work for centuries - they were fishermen, farmers, shepherds. Basque country games reflect their daily lives. They are aimed at improving those skills that were necessary to perform their professions. Just look at the names of individual sports to guess what profession they are associated with. Here are some examples:
Sport Related profession
Aizkolaritza (cutting the logs) - woodman
Harrijasotzaileak (stone lifting) - miner, builder
Ingude altxatzea (lifting the anvil in shortest possible time) - smith

The nature of these sports also results from the Basque disposition, they like competition. Farmers used to bet on which one is stronger. The competition to settle the bet was the highlight of the day, taking place on squares in city centers.

H18K
In 2006, Basque autonomy distinguished 18 rural sports. These are not all sports, but the most popular ones. This list is called H18K. It contains the following sports:

1 – Stone lifting (Harrijasotzaileak)
Probably the most popular of all rural sports. Stone can weigh from 100 to over 300 kg. The stones can have the form of a cube, sphere, cylinder or cuboid. Modern forms also have recesses used as handles.

2 – Lifting the anvil in shortest possible time (Ingude altxatzea)
The sport about raising the anvil, hitting it against the structure above the player's head and placing it on the ground. The player who repeats this action the most times within the specified time wins.

3 – Cutting the logs (Aizkolaritza)
Competitors must cut the trunk on which they stand as soon as possible with an axe. This sport is popular, often shown in the Basque cities centers during festivals.

4 – Sawing (Trontza)
The trunk is placed horizontally on stands. Two competitors use a 2-meter-long hand saw. The goal is to cut the trunk into rings a few centimeters thick. In another variant, the trunk is upright.

5, 6, 7, 8 - Giza-abere probak (literally animal-human tests)
It is about moving heavy stones on the ground. The goal is to move them as far as possible.
5 - Giza probak - a stone weighing up to 750 kg is attached to a man.
6 - Zaldi probak - the stone is attached to the horse.
7 - Idi probak - the stone is attached to an ox.
8- Asto probak - the stone is attached to a donkey.

9 – Drilling holes in the rock (Harri zulaketa)
Sport derived from mining traditions in the region. Two teams of three players participate in the game. With the help of a long metal headband (laztabin) they try to drill through the stone on which they stand. One player drills, the other pours water on the hole, and the third rests, every now and then a change occurs. The team that finishes work first wins.

10 –Pulling up a hay bale(Lasto altxatzea)
It involves pulling a hay bale using a high tripod with a rope pulley, through which the rope passes. One end is attached to the ballast and the other is held by the competitor. Bales weigh 45 kg in the case of men's competition and 30kg in the women's category. Within 2 minutes, raise and lower the bale as many times as possible.

11 – Hay bale throw (Lasto botatzea)
The competitor must use the forks to flip through the bale of hay over the crossbar. For men, it is set at a height of 7 meters, for women - 5 m.

12 – Collecting corn cobs (Lokotx biltzea)
Each player has his own track. On its length (about 30 meters) are arranged in one meter intervals corn maize. At the beginning of the track, each player has their own basket. When the start password is given, the players rush to the last butt of their track. They pick it up and then run towards the basket. When they are nearby, they put the flask into the basket (you can also throw to save time). This process is repeated until the player collects all the butts. This sport requires high endurance because one game lasts about 9-10 minutes. Currently, the flasks are replaced with pieces of boards.

13 – Wearing a milk churn (Ontzi eramatea)
The player carries a milk churn in each hand and must go as far as possible without stopping. He usually walks on the running track. This is a test of strength and endurance because each churn weighs about 40 kg. There are also forms for children, in which instead of a churn a piece of wood is used. Another variation on this sport is transforming it into a team game in the form of a relay, where the churns are passed to the next competitor after taking a lap.

14 - Weights carrying (Txinga eramatea)
Similar to wearing a milk churn. Competitors carry weights up to 100 kg in both hands. The goal is to walk with them as far as possible. The best athletes are able to cross 500 m.

15 – Lifting the cart (Orga jokoa)
A show of strength. One person acts as a ballast, standing on the part of the cart where the horse's harness is attached. The competitor stands at the other end of the cart, lifts him and walks with him in a circle whose center is ballasting.

16 – Haymaking (Sega jokoa)
It has several variants, all are based on competition. In one of them, two players have an hour to mow, using a scythe, as much grass as possible. Some competitions may last for two hours. Alternatively, both players get an equal size of the field and the first to finish wins. Masters of this discipline are able to mow up to 4 tons of grass, which corresponds to 5000m2.

17 – Rope pulling (Sokatira)
Two teams of 8 are fighting with each other. There are weight categories. The rope should be less than 32 meters long. The lines are marked:
- midpoint (red color)
- at a distance of 2 m on each side of the red p. - white points
- 5 m. from white points - blue points
In addition, the center line is marked on the ground and, parallel to it, on a line on both sides, at a distance of 2 m. The goal is to drag the enemy's blue point above your line. This means that you need to stretch about 9 m to win.

18 –Racing with sacks (Zaku eramatea or „smugglers run”)
A relay race in which 3-person teams participate. The competitor runs with a sack weighing about 75 kg. on the back. The ballast is generally beans.

Other popular Rural Sports
1 – Ripping off the goose head (Antzar Eguna)
One of the most unusual Rural Sports, which, unlike other disciplines, comes from the Basque traditions of sailors. It is pursuing during the Fiesta de San Antolín in the seaside town of Lekeitio. A several meters high pole is set up on the waterfront. Parallel to the quay, a fishing boat is anchored at a distance of several meters. An elastic rope is set between the top of the pole and the mast of the cutter, the ends of which hang down to the ground so that it can be pulled or loosened on both sides. A whipped goose is attached to the middle of the rope. This is done in such a way that her neck hangs within reach of the person standing in the boat. A rowing boat carrying a competitor is sailing under the goose. The competitor grabs the goose by the neck. His task is to rip her head off before she falls into the water without the head. It may seem very simple, but the rope is operated from both sides by several men. As a result of its loosening and tensioning, the competitor together with the goose can, under a second from 15 meters above the water, go underwater (and vice versa). If the athlete manages to tear off the goose's head, the rest wins.

2 – Regatta on trainers (Estropadak)
It is not a sport directly belonging to the Basque - it is practiced by the inhabitants of the Bay of Biscay, including the Basques. Boats called trainer are used. These are rowing boats 12 meters long, with 13 rowers and a helmsman. Historically, they were used to fish for sardines, but over time regattas began to be organized. In the past they were made entirely of wood, nowadays plastic is used. The first regatta was organized in the city of Santander in Spain in 1859. The Basques did not remain indebted to the Spaniards and began to organize their own regatta from 1871. Currently, the most popular race takes place in Baskonia under the name Kontxako Estropadak since 1879.