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While the three equestrian events evolved mainly from war and royal activities, barrel racing grew from daily work of cowboys, says An Tao, head of the American Quarter Horse Association's China branch.

Barrel racing is done on flat ground and doesn't involve jumping, which goes against the natural instincts of horses, and thus is safer for riders, he says.

"The sport has seen lots of development as far as competitions and recreational activities go, after a century of development," says An.

National barrel racing competitions are held every year in the US, particularly in Las Vegas and Oklahoma.

In China, the US National Barrel Horse Association held two international competitions, one in Yinchuan in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region in 2013 and one in Shanghai in 2014, says Chu.

Dozens of domestic competitions have also been staged since 2009.

However, unlike fans of equestrian events in China, who mostly are professionals and set their sights on winning competitions, lovers of barrel racing are in it mostly for fun, says An.

There are only 40 to 50 professionals doing barrel racing in China now, but the numbers are growing. "We've seen 30 percent annual increase in the number of riders since 2013," says An.

Now, there are approximately 20 clubs that are home to more than 600 members across China, according to Chu.

They are mostly in Beijing and Shanghai, as well as in Shandong and Hebei provinces.

More than 200 members have their own horses, and a total of 150 horses for riding, mostly quarter horses from the US, have been imported since 2009.

"Quarter horses are the best for barrel racing," says Chu, adding that domestically bred Ferghana and Arabian horses are also good for the sport.