GUIYANG, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- Lu Yaosong, a 13-year-old boy from the Shui ethnic group, resides in Sandu Shui Autonomous County, in southwest China's Guizhou Province.
Despite his youthful appearance with dark skin and a petite stature, his companion, a towering black horse named "Ne Zha," stands nearly two meters tall, embodying a mythical figure from ancient Chinese mythology.
Standing in front of Ne Zha, Lu appears slightly taller than the horse's belly, making it challenging for him to mount. However, when the starting signal sounded, the boy and his horse surged forward like bullets.
Compared to his adult competitors, the young boy and his horse exhibited an extraordinary burst of energy.
Their performance culminated in a third-place finish in the 1,700-meter race for the small horse group at the "Guizhou's Village Horse Racing Game", the second station of the national horse racing league during the Shui people's Duan festival in 2024.
Despite having less than two years of horse racing experience, Lu has already established himself as an outstanding jockey, consistently winning numerous championships.
Sandu County stands as the sole autonomous county of the Shui ethnic group in China. Renowned as a horse-riding people, the Shui ethnic group has a rich tradition of raising and racing horses. This tradition is deeply ingrained in their cultural heritage. From October to November, the Shui people celebrate their new year festival, known as the Duan Festival, during which horse racing serves as a pivotal activity.
Their horse racing is unique, as it does not utilize saddles or standard racecourses. Instead, it takes place on steep mountain slopes, earning it the name "slope horse racing."
Like most Shui ethnic families, Lu's family also raises horses. "When I was a child, I liked to secretly climb on the horse's back, but my grandfather was afraid I would get hurt, so he didn't let me learn to ride," Lu said.
As he grew older and more independent, Lu found him a teacher and officially began to learn horse riding.
Lu's master, Shi Shaozhang, initially hesitated to take him on as a student. "We are all local villagers here. If he gets injured, I will be the one to blame," Shi recalled.
During Lu's first horse riding lesson, a spirited horse threw him off and even trampled on him.
Despite Lu's young age, he was not afraid and immediately got back on the horse, which sparked Shi's interest. "An excellent jockey must first have great courage and not be afraid of horses in order to control them well. He has great talent," Shi said.
Soon Shi discovered that Lu's talent was more than this. During the horse racing process, controlling the horse is key, which requires the jockey to have strong physical strength and a keen "horse sense."
"Being able to know when the horse is tired, when it needs adjustments, and feeling the horse's condition and breathing, can help the rider grasp the rhythm of the race," Shi said, adding that Lu's "horse sense" is strong, as if he can communicate with the horses, which allows Lu to gain an advantage in skills despite his lack of strength.
Since last year, Sandu County has brought in professional companies to operate and manage horse racing events, and has invested in improving the "Western Horse Racing City in China."
The efforts have culminated in several national horse racing competitions being held during important festivals, such as National Day, the Duan Festival, and New Year's Day. These competitions have provided a stage for young jockeys like Lu to showcase their skills and pursue their passions.
On the New Year's Day last year, Lu participated in his first official race, finishing last. "The excitement and tension on the racecourse overwhelmed me. Although I was last, I wasn't discouraged at all," Lu said.
Lu then intensified his training and won his first championship during this year's May Day holiday.
"When I was young, I saw people fall off their horses during slope horse racing, getting up and continuing the race. But I knew that horse riding was something that must not be given up," Lu said.
During this year's National Day holiday, Lu experienced a harrowing incident during a race. As his Ne Zha took a sharp turn, it lost its front hoof, causing Lu to fall heavily to the ground. The impact was so severe that Lu passed out on the spot.
"Even after waking up, I was afraid, but I knew I had to overcome that fear to become an excellent jockey," Lu said. After resting for three days, he returned to racing, determined to face his fears. His courage paid off, as he secured a third-place finish in the 1,700-meter speed race.
Three championships, one runner-up, and two third places. These are the results Lu has achieved in national horse racing events held in his hometown.
Unlike slope horse racing, formal competitions have a proper track, use saddles, and have shorter race distances. "I used to think slope horse racing was more exciting and fun, but now I prefer formal competitions," Lu said.
Shi believes that Lu already has the potential to surpass him. "We both started as jockeys from slope horse racing. I hope in the future he can enter bigger clubs to learn and participate in larger racing games, where he will have more opportunities." ■
