"No matter what my profession will be in the future, my love for horses will never change. Horses are loved and respected in Zhaosu as they are also seen as residents of the county," said Galin, who helps out at his uncle's horse farm.

One of his uncle's horses took part in a race at the equestrian events of the 12th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities of China held at the Tianma Tourism and Cultural Park in Zhaosu from July 8 to 13.

Participants from various ethnic groups showcased their horse-riding skills at events including horse racing, horseback archery and hada snatching, drawing waves of amazement from the crowd at the venue and online.

The ethnic games also include exhibition events such as diaoyang, or snatching the sheep, a traditional sport of the Kazak ethnic group. During the competition, which is similar to buzkashi in Central Asia, two teams of riders try to grab a headless sheep. They either tuck it under their saddle or carry it on their horses, while other participants chase and attempt to snatch the sheep from them. Through repeated struggles, the team that finally places the sheep at the designated location is declared the winner.

"We take the game of diaoyang very seriously and have a special saddle for it. The sheep is normally offered by people who have something to celebrate, such as a wedding, especially in the winter. You need to be strong and an exceptional rider to take part, so it always feels great to become a winner," said Galin, who's won such events multiple times.

While young people are keeping Zhaosu's rich equestrian heritage alive, a boom in the county's modern equine industry has brought local young people more career opportunities.

The county's summer horse drive, which involves a grand spectacle of thousands of steeds setting off from the Tianma tourism and cultural park to gallop across Zhaosu's flower-filled steppe, has become a major calling card, topping viewing lists on social media platforms nationwide.

Lashan Yibasar, 18, is an equestrian performer at the park, which also offers visitors equestrian shows put together by locals. Besides taking part in daily performances, Lashan has been training hard to improve her skills in equestrian vaulting, which is described as gymnastics on horseback.

The only downside of her job is that she cannot see her own horse Black Eye, which is kept at her home, she said. "When I video call my parents, I often ask them to take the phone to the stable so I can see Black Eye and talk to him for a bit because I miss him a lot," she said.

"I do my job with joy, enthusiasm and happiness because I can be around horses all the time," Lashan said. "More importantly, I want the world to see that people from the Kazak ethnic group in Zhaosu are the best horse riders. It's also a good way to promote the traditional Kazak culture, which the young people are all very proud of."

In the first half of this year, Zhaosu received 2.98 million visits from domestic tourists, generating a revenue of some 1.12 billion yuan, an increase of more than 22.3 percent year-on-year.

[email protected]