Contestants compete in a trotting race during the 2025 edition of a traditional horse racing festival in Nagqu, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, Sept. 6, 2025. (Xinhua/Jiang Fan)

NAGQU, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) — A three-day horse racing festival, a traditional event on the northern Tibetan Plateau, kicked off in Nagqu on Friday. In addition to horse racing, the festival also features a variety of ethnic sports competitions, art performances, and cultural tourism activities, drawing large crowds of locals and visitors.

Contestants compete in Yaja competition, a traditional Tibetan sport similar to a one-on-one tug-of-war, during the 2025 edition of a traditional horse racing festival in Nagqu, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, Sept. 6, 2025. (Xinhua/Tenzin Nyida)A contestant competes in Tibetan sling competition, a traditional Tibetan competition that tests accuracy in stone throwing, during the 2025 edition of a traditional horse racing festival in Nagqu, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, Sept. 6, 2025. (Xinhua/Tenzin Nyida)Contestants compete in a trotting race during the 2025 edition of a traditional horse racing festival in Nagqu, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, Sept. 6, 2025. (Xinhua/Jiang Fan)A contestant competes in a stone-carrying competition during the 2025 edition of a traditional horse racing festival in Nagqu, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, Sept. 5, 2025. (Xinhua/Tenzin Nyida)Contestants compete in tug-of-war during the 2025 edition of a traditional horse racing festival in Nagqu, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, Sept. 6, 2025. (Xinhua/Tenzin Nyida)A contestant competes in a sandbag-carrying competition during the 2025 edition of a traditional horse racing festival in Nagqu, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, Sept. 5, 2025. (Xinhua/Tenzin Nyida)Young riders compete in a horse race during the 2025 edition of a traditional horse racing festival in Nagqu, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, Sept. 6, 2025. (Xinhua/Jiang Fan)A contestant competes in Tibetan sling competition, a traditional Tibetan competition that tests accuracy in stone throwing, during the 2025 edition of a traditional horse racing festival in Nagqu, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, Sept. 6, 2025. (Xinhua/Jiang Fan)Contestants compete in tug-of-war during the 2025 edition of a traditional horse racing festival in Nagqu, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, Sept. 6, 2025. (Xinhua/Tenzin Nyida)A contestant competes in a sandbag-carrying competition during the 2025 edition of a traditional horse racing festival in Nagqu, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, Sept. 5, 2025. (Xinhua/Tenzin Nyida)Contestants compete in tug-of-war during the 2025 edition of a traditional horse racing festival in Nagqu, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, Sept. 6, 2025. (Xinhua/Jiang Fan)Contestants compete in tug-of-war during the 2025 edition of a traditional horse racing festival in Nagqu, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, Sept. 6, 2025. (Xinhua/Tenzin Nyida)Young riders compete in a horse race during the 2025 edition of a traditional horse racing festival in Nagqu, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, Sept. 6, 2025. (Xinhua/Jiang Fan)■