Ethnic games combine competitiveness with tradition for passionate fans

The excitement and competitive spirit of unconventional sports was on full display recently on the edge of the vast Taklimakan Desert as some 1,000 competitors battled for glory in 16 events — from camel racing to goat-grabbing, or buzkashi (a horseback game in which players compete to place a goat carcass in a goal). Held from April 12 to 14, the locally organized 29th grassroots games of ethnic groups in Yutian county, Hotan prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, had a unique charm and appeal.

There are no assigned seats — spectators perch on haystacks for the best view, but they must be alert not to get too close to the action and avoid organic fertilizer underfoot. Athletes march, not in uniform, but proudly carrying local specialties like fragrant melons from their hometowns.