Camel Racing
赛骆驼
Camels, enjoying the title "boat of desert", have their special place in the economic life and military affairs of the ancient Mongolias. The herdsmen on the pasture who lived on herding camels respect them as the "king of all the animals". Camel racing appears when they are tamed as transportation tool. Whenever there are happy occasions or festivals, the Mongolian herdsmen living on the pasture or the desert or Gobi will have camel racing. So it is a traditional sport game of the Mongolian like horse racing. It is also one of the Mongoiians' traditional competitive games and popular in Alashan in the west Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
素有“沙漠之舟”的骆驼，在古代蒙古民族的经济生活和军事行动中有着特殊的地位。被草原上以牧驼为主的牧民尊为“万牲之工”。，据文献记载，当骆驼被驯化为交通工具时，赛骆驼也产生了。每逢喜庆节日，居住在草原、沙漠戈壁的蒙古族牧民常举行赛骆驼比赛，它同赛马一样是蒙古族传统体育项目。赛骆驼也是蒙古族的传统竞技项目之一。在内蒙古西部阿拉善一带广为流传。
The racer should make good preparation first. He should train his camel half-month earlier before the competition and offers less water to the camel, nutrient food with abundant protein till the competition. Training the camel is very important because it influences the speed and health. If not trained earlier, it will lose hair and fall ill after the competition.
参加赛驼的人，首先要做好准备工作，在赛前半个月就开始“吊”驼，少给其水。吃些含蛋白质的精料，以至备战。吊驼非常的重要，它关系到骆驼的赛跑速度，而且影响到牧畜的健康，如不提早吊驼，牲畜参加比赛后就会脱毛，生病。
Camel racing embraces running and shooting. Before the competition, a fire is lit up on a mound. The master of camel burns the incense to the fire leading. The camel and then go round the intense three circles in the direction of the movement of the sun in order to pray for luck and contentment. And in certain racing areas a hada a white silk cloth is put around the neck of the camel.
赛骆驼有赛跑和射箭两项内容。赛前，要在高处点燃一堆火，由参赛的主人牵着骆驼向火堆焚香，并绕香顺着太阳运转的方向走三圈，目的是为了求得一个吉祥如意。有的地区在赛前要给骆驼颈上挂哈达。
In competition all the racers stand in a line on the starting line on camelback. With the order of the judge, the racers speed up with whips lashing on the camels. The distance of race is 3 kilometers in average. The one who reaches the final first wins. In some competition a target is set on the way of the race and a shooting competition is carried out. The result is decided according to the hits of the target. If there are children in the race and 2 year old camels are chosen.
比赛时，赛手不分男女，身着艳丽的参赛服骑在驼背上，在起跑线排成一行。裁判员发令后，众骑手挥鞭驱驰骆驼疾跑。赛程一般为3-5公里，以先到达终点者为胜。也有的在赛途中置靶进行射箭比赛，以中靶的多少定胜负。儿童参加比赛，多挑选两三岁的小骆驼。别看骆驼形体笨拙，一旦奔跑起来却是疾如飞马，引人入胜。
After arriving at the final point, the candidates will run around the fire three circles to calm the camels according to the order of the arrival. To run around the fire means to respell and appreciate the blessings of the fire god. Then they offer liquor to the fire and prayers to the camels from the first to reach the final.
赛后按到达终点的顺序绕着象征时运的火堆小步跑三圈，使骆驼平喘。绕火小跑意在尊崇和鸣谢火神的护佑。接着要向火祭酒，并从跑第一名的骆驼开始，献祝颂辞。
In recent years, the camel racing is standardized according to the modern sport competitive methods and means, which stresses on competition and skills. And the more attractive ground racing, group racing and relay racing are adopted. In 1985 the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region decides it as the official competitive game in “Nadam Fair".
近年来，参照现代体育比赛的方法、手段，规范了骆驼比赛，突出竞技性、技术性、采用了更具有吸引力的场地赛、团体赛、接力赛。1985年内蒙古自治区民运会把赛骆驼列人自治区“那达慕”民运会的正式比赛项目。
。