Gyantse Horse Race & Archery(May or June)

Horse race and archert are generally popular in Tibet, and Gyantse enjoys prestige of being the earliest in history by starting in 1408. Contests in early times included horse race, archery, and shooting on gallop followed by a few days' entertainment or picnicing. Presently,ball games, track and field events, folk songs and dances, barter trade are in addition to the above.

Every June, people from all over Tibet gather in Gyantse for horse racing, archery and barter trade. In modern times, ball games, racing, folk songs and dances were added. While horse racing and archery is popular all over Tibet, Gyantse is proud of being the oldest such event, being started in 1408.

Gyantse Horse Race and Archery Festival (May or June) is the most prestigious horse race and archery contest, having hosted the first event in 1408. In those early times, contests included the horse race, archery, and shooting on gallop, followed by a few days of entertainment and picnicking. In more modern times, ball games, track and field events, folk songs and dances, and barter trade have been added to the original schedule of events.

Horse race and archery are very popular in Tibet, and Gyantse enjoys prestige of being the earliest in history by starting in 1408. Contests in early times included horse race, archery, and shooting on gallop followed by a few days' entertainment or picnic. Nowadays, ball games, track and field events, folk songs and dances, barter trade are in addition to the above.

Horse Racing Festival, Gyangze: Horse racing and arrow shooting are very popular in Tibet. Horseracing appeared in the form of sports in 1408. Apart from horse racing, arrow shooting, and shooting arrows on Horseback during the festival, there are also cultural and commercial activities.

The Gyangtse Horse-race Festival, Archery contests on horseback are popular throughout the Tibetan region. The Gyangtse Horse-race Festival became events on fixed dates in 1408 when the king of Gyangtse gave a decree marking the period from April 10 through 27 of every year for prayers and sacrificial ceremony for his grandfather with entertainment offered on the 28th. By the mid-17th century, original ritual ceremonies became symbolic and contests of archery on horseback grew to be the most important events for the festival. Nowadays, with all kinds of entertainment and fairs organized it has become one of the most important festivals in Tibet.