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Horse personalities have to be factored in, as well.
horses

Could This Be the Most Midwestern Competition of All?

Just when you thought Wisconsin couldn’t get any more quaint.
Jennifer Billock November 2, 2023
There are so many reasons to take stone skimming seriously.
rocks

Stone Skimming Is a World Champion Sport—And a Model for Spaceships

What to know if you want to skip a rock over 200 feet. Or fly to space.
Ella Benson Easton October 19, 2023
Costumes and cheap beer are staples of most weird sports, says photographer Sol Neelman, but no one takes dressing up quite as seriously as one of his all-time favorite sports events: Kaiju Live Monster Wrestling (formally known as the Kaiju Big Battel) in Queens, New York. “Kaiju monster wrestling has always been my favorite,” says Neelman. “Mainly because I don't know what's happening. There are a lot of people that follow the storylines and follow the characters. It's kind of like a mix of pro wrestling, Godzilla, and daytime soap opera.”
monsters

Monster Wrestling And Other Weird, Wonderful Sports from Around the World

From traditional Japanese log riding to charitable llama races in Colorado, this photographer has seen it all.
Roxanne Hoorn September 26, 2023
competitions

Podcast: A Friendly Town With an Ax to Grind

Every year, lumberjacks and lumberjills from around the world flock to Hayward, Wisconsin, to compete in the Lumberjack World Championships.
Coleman's shrimp (<em>Periclimenes colemani</em>) like these live on fire sea urchins. The shrimp are usually found in male/female pairs, where females are the larger of the two, and perch on sea urchins where they feed on plankton, algae, and parasites.
underwater

How the Best Underwater Photography Reveals a World of Wonder

Welcome to the home of pink coral-scapes and fluorescent lizardfish.
Sarah Durn March 23, 2023
Lookout from plaque, featuring Fiesta Island across the water to the left, where most of the race took place.
San Diego, California

Birthplace of Modern Triathlon

In September 1974, a small group of athletes completed the first modern triathlon event in San Diego's Mission Bay.
A local version of a colonial tradition, the Winneba Fancy Dress Festival rings in the new year in Ghana.
festivals

In Ghana, the New Year Starts With a Fancy Dress Masquerade

Once a colonial tradition, a creative festival has been elevated to new heights.
Line Sidonie Talla Mafotsing January 11, 2023
Kozlowski used food coloring to paint an edible copy of the classic mural at Madame Sousou's Cafe in Astoria.
food

The Bakers Transforming New York’s Buildings Into Gingerbread

Not a gummy bear was spared during the Great Borough Bake-Off.
Sam Lin-Sommer December 13, 2022
Members of Colla Joves Xiquets De Valls form the <em>pinya</em>, or foundation, of a human tower during a <em>castell</em>-building competition in Tarragona, Spain, earlier this month.
unesco

Catalonia's Human Tower Tradition Starts With a Strong Base

Castell-building has been a tradition in the Spanish region for centuries.
Gemma Tarlach October 18, 2022
Highland Dancers get some air at the Scottish Highland Games in Salado, Texas.
games

A Bonnie Scottish Gathering in the Middle of Texas

Salado’s annual Scottish Gathering and Highland Games are a celebration of plaid, whiskey, and the fine art of tossing extremely heavy objects.
A competitor in the Oeuf Mayo World Championship in 2018.
food

Inside the Egg Mayo Protection Association

The surprisingly competitive world of France's humblest bistro staple.
Madeleine Rothery July 18, 2022
Jenny Tough from Canada rides in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan.
sports

The Toughest Mountain Bike Race in the World

In Kyrgyzstan, determined riders persevere through blizzards, lack of sleep, and disintegrating shoes.
Yam G-Jun July 15, 2022
A soigneur performs a successful musette handoff to cyclist Andre Darrigade in 1956.
games

Inside the Tour de France’s Fast and Furious Feed Zone

Feeding cyclists mid-race involves a century-old method of careful handoffs.
Megan B. Wells July 13, 2022
Robert "Robby" Silk—the first and, for now, only competitive chair-sitter—tests his stamina on Antarctica's Cuverville Island.
deserts

Meet the Man Who Wants to Make Sitting an Extreme Sport

A day at your desk will not prepare you for this grueling competition.
Laura Kiniry April 12, 2022
Nine teams of battlers take part in Ivrea's Battle of the Oranges.
festivals

Ivrea's Battle of the Oranges Is Raucous, Sticky Fun

The Italian Carnival celebration involves one town, nine teams, and three tons of citrus.
Ashawnta Jackson March 1, 2022
A lion dance performer during Lunar New Year in Kuala Lumpur.
games

Our Search for the World's Best Bragging Rights in Some of Its Most Unusual Competitions

For every talent, there must be a champ. Are you ready for Pêl-Law, lion dancing, or marbles?
April White December 21, 2021
In rolley hole, two teams of two people compete to sink their marbles into three small holes in the middle of the marble yard 12 times in a prescribed order.
games

What Does It Take to Be the Rolley Hole Champion?

Marbles is a serious game in Overton County, Tennessee.
Maggie Gigandet November 23, 2021
The author preps for the tasting.
water

What It's Like to Be a Water Judge

Tasting notes include flabby, flinty, and wet dog.
Stephanie Kalina-Metzger July 29, 2021