Village Horse Racing Drives Rural Revitalization in China

Village horse racing events in southwestern China’s Guizhou Province are transforming rural economies, converting online buzz into lasting visitor retention and activating the night economy, according to a Xinhua News feature published Sunday. The grassroots racing phenomenon in Sandu County has become a model for cultural tourism integration as the region celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture.

A Cultural Phenomenon Takes Root

Since summer 2026, the “Guizhou Village Horse” village-level league has maintained strong momentum, with every village fielding teams and every stockade having riders. The earthy, grassroots horse racing events have been held continuously, boosting weekend tourism across the region.

The phenomenon evolved from the Shui ethnic group’s Duan Festival horse racing tradition, a practice spanning over a thousand years. The Shui people, the only ethnic group in China with their own autonomous county, have long been known as the “people on horseback,” with racing serving as a core ritual of their New Year celebrations.

From Online Traffic to Lasting Retention

Sandu County has developed a new path of “events attract visitors, services retain visitors, business formats invigorate the market” for cultural tourism integration. The strategy has yielded impressive results: since the first “Guizhou Village Horse” event in 2024, the county has attracted 6.22 million visitors and generated 6.1 billion yuan in comprehensive tourism revenue, with year-on-year growth of 15% and 21% respectively. Online topic views across all platforms have exceeded 2 billion.

Sandu has been awarded the title of “China Cultural Tourism Integration Characteristic Development Demonstration County” for its achievements. The event has also gained international recognition, being forwarded and recommended by the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson’s overseas social media accounts. In 2025, young people from Egypt, Colombia, and Kazakhstan visited Sandu for study tours.

Night Economy Comes Alive

During the day, the horse racing venue bustles with activity; at night, the Duliu River bank comes alive with lights. Kayaks strung together form a “water train” gliding along the river, with visitors boating and playing in the water, enjoying the cool summer nights. Riverside concerts, unique-flavor barbecue, beer carnival nights, and wooden dragon boat long-table banquets have been developed as part of the night tourism formats centered around the “Guizhou Village Horse” brand.

According to China News Service Guizhou, the 2025 village-level league opening attracted tens of thousands of spectators, with visitors describing the experience as “thunderous horse hooves, dust flying everywhere” and praising the integration of Shui ethnic cultural elements into the performances.

Economic Impact and Industrial Chain Development

The “Horse Culture+” integration ecosystem has added new intangible cultural heritage workshops and enterprises, developing over 200 new products including cultural creative items and trendy toys, with sales exceeding 50 million yuan in 2025. The industrial chain spanning event operations, skills training, cultural creative development, and catering services has benefited over 30,000 people, with per capita annual income increasing by more than 3,000 yuan.

County Mayor Yang Kai, who shared the success story at the National People’s Congress session in March, emphasized the broader significance: “From ‘Village Super League’ to ‘Village BA’ to ‘Village Horse,’ these brands rooted in the soil are all helping accelerate local agricultural, cultural and tourism industries,” as reported by People’s Daily.

Cultural Authenticity as Foundation

Writer and cultural expert Yao Yao, interviewed by China News Service, noted that the “Guizhou Village Horse” is rooted in cultural authenticity, making villagers the subjects of cultural protection and strengthening cultural identity. The event has evolved from a traditional Duan Festival ritual into a modern cultural tourism IP while preserving its core ethnic elements.

Since 2023, the “Guizhou Village Horse” has held over 100 competitions, attracting more than 16 million visitors, with 3,402 horses and 2,328 riders participating. The event has also opened Guizhou Province’s first equestrian sports specialty class at the local vocational school, supporting the growth of the equestrian industry.

What’s Next

As China Daily reported, the “Village Horse” phenomenon represents a broader trend of “village brand” events across Guizhou, including the Village Super League and Village BA, that are driving rural revitalization through cultural tourism integration. With plans to expand the horse stock to 5,000 by the end of 2026 and continued development of immersive cultural experiences, Sandu County is positioning its equestrian heritage as a sustainable engine for rural economic growth.

Observers will be watching whether the “Village Horse” can maintain its momentum and continue converting its massive online following into tangible economic benefits for local communities.