Damgxung Horse Racing Festival

Horse racing is an indispensable activity for all Tibetan festivals along with the history of Tibet. You will see there is Horse Racing Festival nearly in all the mighty areas in Tibet, such as Gyantse, Nagqu, Damgxung, etc. Today, we are going to introduce the Damgxung Horse Racing Festival to travelers who are into Tibetan culture.

In the Tibetan language, Damgxung Horse Racing Festival is also called “Damg Jiren” Festival. “Damg” means Damgxung, “Jiren” means a ceremony of praying. In the beginning, Tibetans competed for skills of riding horses, exchanged commodities, celebrated the harvest by singing and dancing together. Afterward, the leader of the tribes invited Lamas to chant scripture and pray for the next year before holding the feast. Thus, this festival involves some religious and political overtones.

Time

It’s held on July 10th. to 16th. according to the Tibetan calendar every year, which is usually August in the Gregorian calendar. In 2025, Damxung Horse Racing Festival falls on August 10th.

Venue

Around 4,300 meters (14,107 feet) above sea level, there is an extensive grassland that is surrounded by mountains. It’s called Karba meadow, a part of Qiangtang Highland. Tibetans set up the racecourse here, as well as hundreds of tents for competitors and visitors.

Activities

• Of course, the most important part is horse racing. The horses attending the competition are taken good care of by the jockeys. During the 40 days to two months leading up to a race, horses are soaked in icy river water every midnight to develop a fierce running style and strong endurance.  Additionally, jockeys strictly control the timing and quantity of concentrated feed, ensuring the horses receive adequate nutrition while preventing them from overeating and becoming overweight.
• The jockeys are usually young men from 12 to 20 years old. They will show their skills, such as picking up a tiny target on the ground when riding, and the winners will get some medals and prizes, like money and Khata. However, the most important prize that the winners focus on is respect from other people.
• Archery contest is another significant activity during the festival. In the past time, only the leaders of the tribes were allowed to participate in this competition. Thus, it’s kind of a game for nobles.

• Lasting for 7 days, this festival is also a romantic time for Tibetan young men and women. Because it provides a chance for them to chase after the people they like. When the festival begins, all Tibetans gather together, dressing up in the most beautiful custom clothes, singing and dancing to celebrate the harvest after one year of hard work. Many young people find their soul mate at this festival.
• According to the Tibetan calendar, it’s the harvest season of farm and pasture products in July and August. Consequently, Tibetans will exchange their products as well as items for daily use at the fair. Many merchants from far and near will go to the rally. It’s a very crowded market, people exchange agricultural products and living supplies, such as potatoes, Tea, Wheat, and so on. Even people would come to collect their debts in the old times.