For the Tibetan people, horses are a significant part of their daily lives and culture. Multiple breeds (including the Tibetan pony and the Riwoche) have been developed to suit the various needs of the people, including food, riding, racing and load-bearing. For the Khampas, a nomadic group of Tibetans who still live more or less the same way they have for millennia, the horse is central to their way of life. So it’s no surprise that when the time comes to celebrate, horses take centre stage!
Every summer, the town of Litang in the Sichuan provice of China (previously part of Tibet) hosts the Litang Horse Racing Festival. Over three days, the alpine town morphs into a giant carnival ground, with horse races, mounted games, stunt riding, yak races (yep!), singing, dancing, trading, fashion parades, rites and ceremonies, and whatever else the nomads deem fit!
Source of text and photo: https://www.globetrotting.com.au/litang-horse-racing-festival/
Photos: Marc Ressang/The Diplomat, Xinhua/Jiang Hongjing.