Beardox Racing
Imagine this - A sporting event where you feel the ground shake before you even see the contestants. And when you see them, the sheer mass of their mounts will almost make you piss your pants, and you realize that if one of those beasts decide to run into the crowd instead of following the race track, several people will die.Beardox racing is the most popular sport in Inmalenor. The number of actual competitors aren't that high, but the sheer amount of spectators is always surprising for newcomers. At larger tournaments some spectators will travel from the farthest corners of the Inmali tundra to see their favorite beardox compete.
It's glorious. I love it.
The largest of these races is held just after the Tribemoot, and the track for this particular race is set up just outside Niskala.
Safety concerns
Everyone involved knows that beardox racing is a dangerous sport, both for the riders, the spectators and the beardoxen themselves. Usually a race is completed without any dangerous incident, but at least once a year there will be a fatal accident. The most common one is that a rider falls off their beardox and gets trampled on the race track. Two beardoxen can start fighting, which can be deadly both to the beardoxen themselves, but also their riders and other riders and beardoxen that involuntarily gets involved in the fight. And sometimes a beardox might decide to run into the crowd of spectators instead of keeping on the track for several reasons, and, while luckily a very rare occurrence, will almost always end up in seveal dead and wounded spectators.History
The roots of this race is unclear, but it isn't too unreasonable to think that it all started with a juvenile Inmali elf trying to ride on a beardox to impress their peers. It has been an official sport for as long as anyone can remember.
Some rule changes has been made due to actual incidents at some races through history. The ban against races during the mating season came after a race held during the mating season had ended with twenty dead Inmali elves and four dead beardoxen. The banning of pheromones was a result of someone trying to distract the racing beardoxen during a race, creating a much larger chaos than they had anticipated - and again, seventeen dead Inmali elves and five dead beardoxen as a direct result.
The first saddles were made in the same design as a horse saddle, only modified slightly to fit the beardox's much larger and bulkier frame. However, from tests done on the few beardoxen that would even be willing to move with this strange new contraption on its back, the heavy impact from their hooves hitting the ground together with the strange coarse yet slightly slick fur made these kind of saddles slide sideways, making them extremely dangerous for the rider.
The design was slightly modified to be closer to the harness that was already used in some cases, where straps went around the shoulders, connecting into a single strap between the front legs, then dividing back into two straps, one on each side, running over the beardox's chest area before connecting to the saddle. The design seemed to hold the saddle in place, but the elves were never able to test it in action since there hasn't been one single beardox it has been tried on that would keep on their feet once the saddle was secured. The beasts kept rolling around in the dirt to try to get the thing off. The plan was scrapped.
Some rule changes has been made due to actual incidents at some races through history. The ban against races during the mating season came after a race held during the mating season had ended with twenty dead Inmali elves and four dead beardoxen. The banning of pheromones was a result of someone trying to distract the racing beardoxen during a race, creating a much larger chaos than they had anticipated - and again, seventeen dead Inmali elves and five dead beardoxen as a direct result.
Trying out New Technology
As the road up to the Winter Pass was built in 1643, a small wave of humans entered Inmalenor for the first time. These newcomers saw a beardox race, and since they already saw the Inmali elves as slightly primitive they asked why the elves didn't use saddles when riding beardoxen. The elves had never thought of the concept of a saddle, and thought it sounded like a good idea.The first saddles were made in the same design as a horse saddle, only modified slightly to fit the beardox's much larger and bulkier frame. However, from tests done on the few beardoxen that would even be willing to move with this strange new contraption on its back, the heavy impact from their hooves hitting the ground together with the strange coarse yet slightly slick fur made these kind of saddles slide sideways, making them extremely dangerous for the rider.
The design was slightly modified to be closer to the harness that was already used in some cases, where straps went around the shoulders, connecting into a single strap between the front legs, then dividing back into two straps, one on each side, running over the beardox's chest area before connecting to the saddle. The design seemed to hold the saddle in place, but the elves were never able to test it in action since there hasn't been one single beardox it has been tried on that would keep on their feet once the saddle was secured. The beasts kept rolling around in the dirt to try to get the thing off. The plan was scrapped.
Execution
The first preparation for a beardox race is to mark the track for the race. Some places have permanent tracks for summer races, when there is no snow. The largest of these is the Tribemoot Beardox Arena just outside Niskala, which is a 2 km long track permanently marked on the ground with flat stone slabs along the edge of the track. If there is snow, the track is usually marked with sticks, skins or blood.
Official races has two race track boundaries - one inner line and one outer line. The inner line is more of a warning and is allowed to cross, but not for a long time. A rider will have to get their beardox back inside the inner line within ten seconds if it's crossed or be disqualified. Crossing the outer line will end in an instant disqualification.
Smaller races might be held without a marked track - yet a starting point and a finishing line need to be decided. These point doesn't need to be more exact than "the other side of that bush over there".
The contestants are lined up at the starting point with about half a meter between each beardox. No part of any of the beardoxen should cross the actual starting line before the race starts. A referee stands at the starting line, visually checking if anyone crosses it before they should. When the referee shouts "GO!" the race starts.
The goal is then to get to the finishing line first, following the rules of the race. The race itself is risky, and there is usually at least one beardox race related death every year. Either a rider gets trampled to death after falling off their beardox, or a spectator gets too close to the track, or a beardox runs into some spectators.
There's traditionally no prize for the winner other than recognition and fame. For competitors breeding their own beardoxen, a win in a big race might boost sale of a champion's calves, which can be valuable and feed a whole family through the harsh winter. The winning rider will earn respect and awe in their tribe, and the tribe will also earn respect and awe for being the home of a champion.
During the race the spectators often join in on unofficial bets arranged by bet keepers, where animal skins, meat and tools are put into the pool and divided between the ones who bet on the winning beardox after the race.
Official races has two race track boundaries - one inner line and one outer line. The inner line is more of a warning and is allowed to cross, but not for a long time. A rider will have to get their beardox back inside the inner line within ten seconds if it's crossed or be disqualified. Crossing the outer line will end in an instant disqualification.
Smaller races might be held without a marked track - yet a starting point and a finishing line need to be decided. These point doesn't need to be more exact than "the other side of that bush over there".
The contestants are lined up at the starting point with about half a meter between each beardox. No part of any of the beardoxen should cross the actual starting line before the race starts. A referee stands at the starting line, visually checking if anyone crosses it before they should. When the referee shouts "GO!" the race starts.
The goal is then to get to the finishing line first, following the rules of the race. The race itself is risky, and there is usually at least one beardox race related death every year. Either a rider gets trampled to death after falling off their beardox, or a spectator gets too close to the track, or a beardox runs into some spectators.
There's traditionally no prize for the winner other than recognition and fame. For competitors breeding their own beardoxen, a win in a big race might boost sale of a champion's calves, which can be valuable and feed a whole family through the harsh winter. The winning rider will earn respect and awe in their tribe, and the tribe will also earn respect and awe for being the home of a champion.
During the race the spectators often join in on unofficial bets arranged by bet keepers, where animal skins, meat and tools are put into the pool and divided between the ones who bet on the winning beardox after the race.
Components and tools
The most basic needed components for a successful beardox race is an area to use as a race track, at least two beardoxen and at least two riders. More official races will also call for a referee, who starts the race, and at least one finish line controller, who judges which beardox is the first to cross the finish line.
Most riders cling to their beardox by gripping the rough fur at the top of the beast's shoulders. Some riders make use of a simple harness strapped around the beardox's torso with handles to hold on to. Only a very few beardoxen will accept wearing such a harness though, and training one to accept it is often more trouble than it's worth. Although it is allowed to use a harness, it's considered a bit cowardly to use one. A winner is a winner, though, and if a harnessed beardox wins the race it will receive the same amount of glory as an unharnessed one would.
There is a slight safety concern using a harness. There have been cases where a rider has been stuck to the harness when needing to get off a beardox that is running amok or that is getting into a fight with another beardox, resulting in crippling injuries and even death. Seeing that it is a dangerous sport anyways and that the instances where a rider has been killed in a harness-related accident have been few and far between, most harness-users choose to ignore this concern.
Most riders cling to their beardox by gripping the rough fur at the top of the beast's shoulders. Some riders make use of a simple harness strapped around the beardox's torso with handles to hold on to. Only a very few beardoxen will accept wearing such a harness though, and training one to accept it is often more trouble than it's worth. Although it is allowed to use a harness, it's considered a bit cowardly to use one. A winner is a winner, though, and if a harnessed beardox wins the race it will receive the same amount of glory as an unharnessed one would.
There is a slight safety concern using a harness. There have been cases where a rider has been stuck to the harness when needing to get off a beardox that is running amok or that is getting into a fight with another beardox, resulting in crippling injuries and even death. Seeing that it is a dangerous sport anyways and that the instances where a rider has been killed in a harness-related accident have been few and far between, most harness-users choose to ignore this concern.
Champions
of the Tribemoot Beardox Races
Only listing riders with 5 or more wins1967-1971:
Thundering Blizzard
Rider: Roon of the Seal Tribe
1991-1999:
Light of the North
Rider: Amis of the Beardox Tribe
2043-2048:
Eat My Dust
Rider: Ilja of the Seal Tribe
Related Ethnicities
Rules
The rider needs to be on the beardox at all times. If the rider falls off, the beardox is disqualified.
The racing beardoxen must be inside the marked track at all times. If the beardox steps outside the outer line, it is disqualified.
It isn't allowed to be tied to the beardox's back. While a simple harness is allowed to use for a better grip, most beardoxen will refuse to run if one is used.
The competing beardox should be at least four years old, and the rider should be at least twenty.
It's not allowed to hurt a competitor's beardox on purpose. Some damage might happen due to the nature of beardoxen, but if a rider is caught trying to get their beardox to attack another beardox, the rider is instantly disqualified and banned from the competition.
Both male and female beardoxen are allowed, though female beardoxen are seldom used since the males are generally faster.
A race should never be held during mating season. It has been tried, and puts both riders, beardoxen and spectators in mortal danger.
Never, under any circumstances are beardox pheromones or any substance containing beardox pheromones/musk allowed anywhere close to the beardox racing tracks
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