Taking part in the annual Naadam Festival in Mongolia is an important part of the Mongolians’ year. The still largely nomadic community take preparation for the three major events, Mongolian wrestling, horse raising and archery, very seriously. This nomadic herdsman has taken every spare opportunity to getting his horse fit for one of the long-distance races where it will be ridden by a child jockey. During the race the horses have their forelocks tied the traditional knot, seen here. A win in the race, will bring enormous prestige to his household. The centuries old Naadam Festivals, the largest of which is held in Mongolia’s capital, Ulan Bator, are directly linked to the need for the community to be constantly prepared for battle. The Mongolians have had a special affinity with the horse since the times of Genghis Khan.
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