Sure, St Andrews is the home of golf and Monaco hosts the most glamorous race on the Formula One circuit, but the sporting world offers so much more than what can be seen on television. With the warmer months upon us the countdown is on for all manner of festivals around the globe, with many of them revolving around intriguing, entertaining and downright wacky events. MailOnline Travel sheds some light on the most unique sporting escapes you could take this year as a spectator or in some cases even as a participant, from the historic cheese-rolling race in Gloucestershire to the Mud Olympics in Brunsbuettel, Germany. Scroll down for video. The 20th annual Wife Carrying World Championships will be held on July 3 and 4 in Sonkajärvi, Finland. WIFE CARRYING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: SONKAJARVI, FINLAND. While it doesn't exactly fly the flag for sexual equality, the annual Wife Carrying World Championships certainly appears to be a fun couple of days in Sonkajärvi, Finland. Since 1994 couples from around the world have converged on the town of about 4,000 people that without the event would be famous for having more than 200 lakes in the area. The 20th edition will be held this year over July 3 and 4 and be another carnival-like affair with, of course, the wife carrying as the main event but also including markets and a fiercely contested karaoke competition. In wife carrying, a man must carry a woman weighing at least 108lbs (if she is less than this she has to wear weights) around a 830ft sand track with tricky obstacles to contend with. While it sounds like a pub dare that's simply gone too far, the event has roots in the late 19th century when the leader of a local gang called Rosvo-Ronkainen tested potential recruits on a tough obstacle course - it wasn't uncommon for the men to steal women from nearby towns. A wheel of cheese speeds away from its chasers on the steep slope of Cooper's Hill near Brockworth. CHEESE-ROLLING RACE: BROCKWORTH, GLOUCESTERSHIRE. Every year a wheel of cheese is rolled down the steep slope of Cooper's Hill on the outskirts of the village of Brockworth and is followed by a bunch of people risking life and limb to catch it. Given the cheese can reach speeds of up to 70mph, the chase is a futile expedition but a spectacularly bizarre spectacle for onlookers who come from all over the world to compete or watch. The winner is the first to cross a line at the bottom. The local council wants nothing to do with the race, its most famous attraction, due to concerns over safety and insurance, but it goes on each year regardless. Injuries are inevitable in the race that has taken place since the 15th century on the Gloucestershire hill. While its origin is disputed, rolling down the hill after the cheese wheel dates back as far as the 15th century and has been much the same since. Although in recent years the local cheese supplier was told not to offer up the customary wheel of Double Gloucester but authorities, a Dutch equivalent stepped in. To see it in action this year head to Cooper’s Hill for midday on the late spring bank holiday, which this year falls on May 25. The World Bog Snorkelling Championships in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales, will be held this year on August 30. BOG SNORKELLING: LLANWRTYD WELLS, WALES. Much like the cheese rolling, those who compete in the World Bog Snorkelling Championships have a bit of a screw loose but also have a ball of a time in the process. The Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells is famed for its wacky events, with the bog swimming on August 30 preceded this year by the Welsh Open Stone Skimming Championships on May 24 and The Whole Earth Man vs Horse Marathon on June 13. Hundreds compete in the bog snorkelling with participants last year alone coming from France, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Sweden, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Hong Kong and Mali. The winner is the fastest to navigate a 180ft peat bog wearing a snorkel and flippers, the only means by which they can propel themselves. A competitor in the Mud Olympics in Brunsbuettel plays handball in the mud flats of the River Elbe. A women feels the cold of a hose as competitors attempt to wash away the mud after a day of competition. MUD OLYMPICS: BRUNSBUETTEL, GERMANY. It’s hot, sticky and awesome at the Mud Olympics in Brunsbuettel, near Hamburg in northern Germany, where the annual event is held on the mud flats of the River Elbe. Known in German as Wattoluempiade (Tideland Olympics), the Games feature hundreds of competitors not afraid to get down and dirty as they compete in filthy versions of handball, volleyball, football and tug of war, and more. The event is so popular that the places for most of the sports for this year's games on July 11 were booked out within 50 seconds of entries opening, so it's as exclusive as it is dirty. Each year Wattoluempiade raises money for the region's cancer sufferers and in total since 2004 it has brought in more than €250,000. Camel wrestling has taken place in Turkey for more than 2,000 years and attracts crowds of more than 20,000. CAMEL WRESTLING: SELCUK, TURKEY. Not for everyone, in particular animal welfare groups who oppose it, or the feint of heart but certainly historic - camel wrestling has been going on in Turkey for more than 2,000 years. More than 20,000 people gather for the 20,000 people will gather again for the annual Selcuk Efes Camel Wrestling Festival in January, which has run in its current form by Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism since 1984. The Tulu camels are bred especially for wrestling and much like their human boxing counterparts are matched based on their age and weight to ensure a fair fight. What compels the competing male camels to fight? A female camel of course, which is why the main in Selcuk in Turkey’s south coincides with mating season. A prisoner is bucked off a bull in front of a packed stadium at the Angola Rodeo at Louisiana State Penitentiary. PRISON RODEO: LOUISIANA, USA. This is precisely what it says on the packet - a rodeo in which prisoners are the stars of the show. And it's a far bigger industry and a better spectacle than you’d expect. Prison rodeos are held throughout the United States but the oldest of its kind is the Angola Rodeo held at Louisiana State Penitentiary, which has been going strong since 1965. Spectators can buy tickets and attend like any other sporting event, only they’re in a jail so restrictions such as not being allowed to carry weapons apply. When the spring rodeo is held on the weekend of April 18 and 19, bull riding will as always be the main event, but some visitors come especially for the arts and crafts market. And yes, the goods are made by the prisoners. A bizarre even among the bucking broncos and barrel races is convict poker, which features four prisoners playing poker while an angry bull runs around the arena, sometimes with painful results. Funds raised by the rodeo go back into the running of the rodeo and into the Inmate Welfare Fund, which provides inmates with educational and recreational supplies. Naadam festivals take place throughout Mongolia, with the biggest here in Ulaanbaatar. NAADAM: ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA. The 'manly' sports of Mongolia are celebrated at this ancient festival held all over the country from July 11 to 13 and all-comers, including tourists, are welcome as competitors or spectators. The festival's full name is 'eriin gurvan naadam', meaning 'the three games of men', which are wrestling, horse riding and archery. And despite it being very much a traditional games, it's moving with the times and women can now compete in all but the wrestling. In 2010, Naadam was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO and a host of travel companies offer guided tours. Gregor Edmunds competes in the caber toss (left) and weight over a bar at Cowal Highland Gathering. HIGHLAND GAMES: DUNOON, SCOTLAND. As Scottish as whisky and haggis, Highland Games are held throughout the country from May to September with as many as 60 sports contested. The biggest of them all is the Cowal Highland Gathering over the last weekend in August which has been going in Dunoon since way back in 1894. Among the most popular events is the caber toss which sees massive guys in kilts throwing a giant log in the air and trying to get the top of it to land nearest to them - they say it originates from when such a technique was used to create bridge crossings over waterways. Other events include the throwing of a massive stone, weight throwing contests judges on either distance or height and the sheaf toss in which a pitchfork is used to throw a heavy clump of straw over a bar. Pipe bands and Highland dancing competitions along with local food and general frivolity are also important parts of such festivals. Entry to the three days of the Snow Polo World Cup in St Moritz is free, but it's not exactly cheap. SNOW POLO: ST MORITZ, SWITZERLAND. One of the great strengths of sports is their all-inclusive ability to bring different walks of life together on a level playing field - you wouldn't think snow polo is one of those though. However, since the  Snow Polo World Cup has been held in St Moritz it's be a free event for spectators keen to watch from the stands or the edge of the field. This doesn't include accommodation at the relatively pricey resort, or food, or the inevitable champagne that would seem appropriate at such an affair. VIP tickets are also available for sit-down lunches and other perks. Still, more than 12,000 people watched the 2015 edition of the cup in January and more are expected for the 2016 event from January 29 to 31. The event has been held here since 1985 as teams gather from around the globe to play on the idyllic frozen lake for the Cartier Trophy. With snow-capped mountains of the Engadin Valley as the back drop and all manner of accompanying events, the pricey hotels of the ski resort region are also packed at this time so book well ahead.

What are highlight points for this article?
Traditional sports in Scotland's Highland Games and Mongolia's Naadam.
Wife Carrying, Bog Snorkelling and Cheese-Rolling among the kookiest.
Camel Wrestling in Turkey and Prison Rodeo in the US more controversial.
Visst, St Andrews är hem för golf och Monaco är värd för den mest glamorösa ras på Formel One kretsen, men sportvärlden erbjuder så mycket mer än vad som kan ses på TV. Med de varmare månaderna på oss är nedräkningen på gång för alla slags festivaler runt om i världen, med många av dem kretsar kring spännande, underhållande och rent knäppa händelser. MailOnline Travel kastar lite ljus över de mest unika sportsliga rymningar du kan ta i år som åskådare eller i vissa fall även som deltagare, från det historiska ostrullloppet i Gloucestershire till Mud Olympics i Brunsbuettel, Tyskland. Scrolla ner för video. De 20:e årliga mästerskapen i hustrubäring arrangeras den 3 och 4 juli i Sonkajärvi, Finland. WIFE BETRÄFFANDE VÄRLDSMAMPONJÄRVI, FINLAND. Även om det inte direkt är en flagga för sexuell jämlikhet, verkar de årliga Wife Carry World Championships verkligen vara ett roligt par dagar i Sonkajärvi, Finland. Sedan 1994 har par från hela världen konvergerat kring staden med omkring 4 000 personer som utan händelsen skulle vara kända för att ha mer än 200 sjöar i området. Den 20:e upplagan kommer att hållas i år över den 3 och 4 juli och vara ytterligare en karnevalsliknande affär med, naturligtvis, hustrun som bär som huvudevenemang men även innefatta marknader och en häftigt ifrågasatt karaoke konkurrens. I hustru bära, en man måste bära en kvinna som väger minst 108lbs (om hon är mindre än detta hon måste bära vikter) runt en 830ft sandbana med knepiga hinder att brottas med. Även om det låter som en pub vågar som helt enkelt har gått för långt, händelsen har sina rötter i slutet av 1800-talet när ledaren för en lokal gäng som heter Rosvo-Ronkainen testade potentiella rekryter på en tuff hinderbana - det var inte ovanligt för männen att stjäla kvinnor från närliggande städer. Ett osthjul skyndar bort från sina jagare på Cooper's Hills branta sluttning nära Brockworth. - Brackwood, GLOUCESTERSHIRE. Varje år rullas ett osthjul nerför den branta sluttningen av Cooper's Hill i utkanten av byn Brockworth och följs av ett gäng människor som riskerar liv och lem för att fånga den. Med tanke på osten kan nå hastigheter på upp till 70mph, jakten är en meningslös expedition men ett spektakulärt bisarrt skådespel för åskådare som kommer från hela världen för att tävla eller titta på. Vinnaren är den första som korsar en linje längst ner. Kommunalrådet vill inte ha något med loppet att göra, dess mest kända attraktion, på grund av oro över säkerhet och försäkring, men det pågår varje år oavsett. Skador är oundvikliga i den ras som har ägt rum sedan 1400-talet på Gloucestershire-backen. Även om dess ursprung är omtvistat, rullar nerför kullen efter osthjulet går tillbaka ända till 1400-talet och har varit ungefär densamma sedan dess. Även om den lokala ostleverantören på senare år uppmanades att inte erbjuda Double Gloucesters vanliga hjul, utan myndigheter, trädde en holländsk motsvarighet in. Att se det i verksamhet i år bege sig till Cooper’s Hill för middagstid på senvårens bankhelg, som i år infaller den 25 maj. World Bog Snorkelling Championships i Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales, kommer att hållas i år den 30 augusti. - Jag är ledsen, men... Ungefär som ostrullningen har de som tävlar i World Bog Snorkelling Championships lite av en skruv lös men har också en boll av en tid i processen. Den walesiska staden Llanwrtyd Wells är känd för sina knäppa händelser, med mossesimning den 30 augusti som föregicks i år av Welsh Open Stone Skimming Championships den 24 maj och The Whole Earth Man vs Horse Marathon den 13 juni. Hundratals tävlar i myrsnorklingen med deltagare enbart förra året som kommer från Frankrike, Tyskland, Belgien, Portugal, Sverige, Sydafrika, Australien, Nya Zeeland, USA, Hongkong och Mali. Vinnaren är den snabbaste att navigera en 180ft torvmosse med en snorkel och flippers, det enda sättet att driva sig själva. En konkurrent i Mud-OS i Brunsbuettel spelar handboll i floden Elbes gyttjelägenheter. En kvinna känner kylan av en slang när konkurrenter försöker tvätta bort leran efter en dag av konkurrens. MUD OLYMPICS: BRUNSBUETTEL, TYSKLAND. Det är varmt, klibbigt och häftigt vid Mud Olympics i Brunsbuettel, nära Hamburg i norra Tyskland, där det årliga evenemanget hålls på gyttjelägenheterna i floden Elbe. Spelen, som på tyska kallas Wattoluempiade (Tidelands-OS), har hundratals konkurrenter som inte är rädda för att komma ner och smutsa ner sig när de tävlar i smutsiga versioner av handboll, volleyboll, fotboll och dragkamp med mera. Evenemanget är så populärt att platserna för de flesta av sporterna för årets spel den 11 juli bokades ut inom 50 sekunder efter att bidragen öppnats, så det är lika exklusivt som det är smutsigt. Varje år samlar Wattoluempiade in pengar till de cancerdrabbade i regionen och totalt sedan 2004 har det dragit in mer än 250 000 euro. Kamelbrottning har ägt rum i Turkiet i mer än 2 000 år och lockar folkmassor på mer än 20.000. - Jag är ledsen, men jag är ledsen. Inte för alla, i synnerhet för djurskyddsgrupper som motsätter sig det, eller hjärtevärmen, men sannerligen historisk - kamelbrottning har pågått i Turkiet i mer än 2.000 år. Mer än 20 000 människor samlas för de 20 000 människor kommer att samlas igen för den årliga Selcuk Efes Camel Wrestling Festival i januari, som har kört i sin nuvarande form av Turkiets ministerium för kultur och turism sedan 1984. Tulu-kamelerna föds upp speciellt för brottning och ungefär som deras mänskliga boxningsmotsvarigheter matchas baserat på deras ålder och vikt för att säkerställa en rättvis kamp. Vad är det som tvingar de tävlande kamelhanarna att strida? En kamelhona naturligtvis, vilket är anledningen till att det viktigaste i Selcuk i Turkiets södra sammanfaller med parningstiden. En fånge blir avslagen från en tjur framför en fullsatt stadion vid Angola Rodeo vid Louisiana State Penitentiary. LOUISIANA, USA. Detta är precis vad det står på paketet - en rodeo där fångar är stjärnorna i showen. Och det är en mycket större industri och ett bättre skådespel än man kan förvänta sig. Fängelserodeon hålls i hela USA men den äldsta i sitt slag är Angola Rodeo som hålls på Louisiana State Penitentiary, som har gått starkt sedan 1965. Åskådare kan köpa biljetter och delta som alla andra sportevenemang, bara de är i ett fängelse så restriktioner som att inte få bära vapen gäller. När vårrodeon hålls helgen den 18 och 19 april blir tjurridning som alltid huvudevenemang, men vissa besökare kommer särskilt för konst- och hantverksmarknaden. Och ja, varorna är gjorda av fångarna. En bisarr även bland de bucking broncos och fatet tävlingar är straffånge poker, som har fyra fångar som spelar poker medan en arg tjur springer runt arenan, ibland med smärtsamma resultat. Medlen som rodeon samlat in går tillbaka till rodeons gång och till internernas välfärdsfond, som förser interner med utbildnings- och fritidsförnödenheter. Naadamfestivaler äger rum i hela Mongoliet, med de största här i Ulaanbaatar. ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIEN. De "manliga" sporterna i Mongoliet firas vid denna urgamla festival som hålls över hela landet från 11 till 13 juli och alla som kommer, inklusive turister, är välkomna som konkurrenter eller åskådare. Festivalens fullständiga namn är 'eriin gurvan naadam', vilket betyder 'de tre spelen av män', som är brottning, ridning och bågskytte. Och trots att det är väldigt mycket en traditionell spel, det rör sig med tiden och kvinnor kan nu tävla i allt utom brottning. År 2010 skrevs Naadam in på Unescos Representative List of the Immateriell Cultural Heritage of Humanity och en mängd reseföretag erbjuder guidade turer. Gregor Edmunds tävlar i caberkastningen (vänster) och vikt över en bar på Cowal Highland Gathering. Höglandsspel: Dunoon, Skottland. Så skotska som whisky och haggis hålls Highland Games i hela landet från maj till september med hela 60 sporter ifrågasatta. Den största av dem alla är Cowal Highland Gathering under den senaste helgen i augusti som har varit på väg i Dunoon sedan långt tillbaka i 1894. Bland de mest populära händelserna är caberkastningen som ser massiva killar i kilts kasta en jättestock i luften och försöka få toppen av den att landa närmast dem - de säger att den härstammar från när en sådan teknik användes för att skapa broövergångar över vattenvägar. Andra händelser inkluderar kastandet av en massiv sten, vikt kasta tävlingar domare på antingen avstånd eller höjd och kärven kasta där en högaffel används för att kasta en tung klump av halm över en bar. Rörband och Highland danstävlingar tillsammans med lokal mat och allmän lättsinnighet är också viktiga delar av sådana festivaler. Inträde till de tre dagarna av Snow Polo VM i St Moritz är gratis, men det är inte direkt billigt. ST MORITZ, Schweiz. En av de stora styrkorna med sport är deras allomfattande förmåga att föra olika samhällsskikt samman på lika villkor - du skulle inte tro att snöpolo är en av dem dock. Men eftersom Snow Polo-VM har hållits i St Moritz är det ett gratis evenemang för åskådare som vill se från läktaren eller kanten av fältet. Detta inkluderar inte boende på den relativt dyra resorten, eller mat, eller den oundvikliga champagne som verkar lämplig vid en sådan affär. VIP-biljetter finns även för sittluncher och andra förmåner. Ändå såg mer än 12.000 personer 2015 års upplaga av cupen i januari och fler väntas för 2016 händelsen från 29 till 31 januari. Evenemanget har hållits här sedan 1985 då lag samlas från hela världen för att spela på den idylliska frusna sjön för Cartier Trophy. Med snötäckta berg i Engadindalen som backdroppe och allehanda medföljande evenemang, är också skidortregionens dyra hotell packade vid denna tid så boka långt fram. Vad är höjdpunkterna för den här artikeln?
Sure, St Andrews is home to golf and Monaco hosts the most glamorous race on the Formula One circuit, but the sports world offers so much more than can be seen on television. With the warmer months on us, the countdown is underway for all kinds of festivals around the world, with many of them centering around exciting, entertaining and pure weird events. MailOnline Travel sheds some light on the most unique sporting escapes you can take this year as a spectator or in some cases even as a participant, from the historic cheese roll race in Gloucestershire to Mud Olympics in Brunsbuettel, Germany. Scroll down for video. The 20th annual women's wearing championships will be held on 3 and 4 July in Sonkajärvi, Finland. WIFE ON WORLD DAMPONY OURVI, FINLAND. Although it is not directly a flag of sexual equality, the annual Wife Carry World Championships really seem to be a fun couple of days in Sonkajärvi, Finland. Since 1994, couples from all over the world have converged around the city with about 4,000 people who without the event would be known to have more than 200 lakes in the area. The 20th edition will be held this year over 3 and 4 July and be another carnival-like affair with, of course, the wife who carries as the main event but also includes markets and a fiercely contested karaoke competition. In wife wear, a man must wear a woman weighing at least 108lbs (if she is less than this she must carry weights) around an 830ft sand course with tricky obstacles to contend with. Although it sounds like a pub dares that has simply gone too far, the event has its roots in the late 19th century when the leader of a local gang called Rosvo-Ronkainen tested potential recruits on a tough obstacle course - it was not uncommon for the men to steal women from nearby cities. A cheese wheel hurries away from its destroyers on the steep slope of Cooper's Hill near Brockworth. - Brackwood, GLOUCESTERSHIRE. Each year, an east wheel is rolled down the steep slope of Cooper's Hill on the outskirts of the village of Brockworth and followed by a bunch of people who risk life and limb to catch it. Given the cheese can reach speeds of up to 70mph, the hunt is a meaningless expedition but a spectacular bizarre spectacle for spectators who come from all over the world to race or watch. The winner is the first to cross a line at the bottom. The municipal council wants nothing to do with the race, its most famous attraction, due to concerns over security and insurance, but it goes on every year regardless. Damage is inevitable in the race that has taken place since the 15th century on the Gloucestershire hill. Although its origin is disputed, rolls down the hill after the cheese wheel dates back to the 15th century and has been about the same since. Although in recent years the local cheese supplier was called upon not to offer Double Gloucester's regular wheels, but authorities, a Dutch counterpart entered. Seeing it in action this year, go to Cooper’s Hill for midday on late spring banking weekend, which this year falls on May 25. The World Bog Snorkelling Championships in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales, will be held this year on 30 August. - I'm sorry, but... Much like the cheese roll, those competing in the World Bog Snorkelling Championships have a bit of a screw loose but also have a ball of a time in the process. The Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells is known for its wacky events, with mosses swimming on 30 August preceded this year by the Welsh Open Stone Skimming Championships on 24 May and The Whole Earth Man vs Horse Marathon on 13 June. Hundreds compete in the ant snorkelling with participants only last year coming from France, Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Sweden, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Hong Kong and Mali. The winner is the fastest to navigate a 180ft peat bog with a snorkel and pinball, the only way to drive themselves. A competitor in the Mud Olympics in Brunsbuettel plays handball in the river Elbe's mud apartments. A woman feels the cold of a hose when competitors try to wash away the clay after a day of competition. MUD OLYMPICS: BRUNSBUETTEL, GERMANY. It is warm, sticky and cool at the Mud Olympics in Brunsbuettel, near Hamburg in northern Germany, where the annual event is held at the mud apartments of the Elbe River. The games, which in German are called Wattoluempiade (Tidelands Olympics), have hundreds of competitors who are not afraid to come down and get dirty as they compete in dirty versions of handball, volleyball, football and tow fight etc. The event is so popular that the venues for most of the sports for this year's games on July 11 were booked out within 50 seconds of the entries opening, so it is as exclusive as it is dirty. Every year, Wattoluempiade raises money for the cancer victims in the region and since 2004, it has brought in more than EUR 250 000. Camel wrestling has taken place in Turkey for more than 2,000 years and attracts crowds of more than 20,000. I'm sorry, but I'm sorry. Not for everyone, especially for animal welfare groups that oppose it, or the warmth of the heart, but certainly historical - camel wrestling has been going on in Turkey for more than 2,000 years. More than 20,000 people gather for the 20,000 people will gather again for the annual Selcuk Efes Camel Wrestling Festival in January, which has run in its current form of Turkey's Ministry of Culture and Tourism since 1984. The Tulu camels are bred especially for wrestling and much like their human boxing counterparts are matched based on their age and weight to ensure a fair fight. What forces the competing male camels to fight? A female camel, of course, which is why the most important thing in Selcuk in the southern part of Turkey coincides with the mating season. A prisoner is rejected from a bull in front of a crowded stadium at Angola Rodeo at Louisiana State Penitentiary. LOUISIANA, United States. This is exactly what it says on the package - a rodeo where prisoners are the stars of the show. And it's a much bigger industry and a better spectacle than you'd expect. The prison odeon is held throughout the United States but the oldest of its kind is Angola Rodeo held at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, which has gone strong since 1965. Spectators can buy tickets and participate like any other sporting event, as long as they are in a prison as restrictions such as not being allowed to carry weapons apply. When the spring rodeo is held on the weekend of 18 and 19 April, bull riding becomes as always the main event, but some visitors come especially for the arts and crafts market. And yes, the goods are made by the prisoners. A bizarre even among the bucking broncos and barrel competitions is convict poker, which has four prisoners playing poker while an angry bull runs around the stadium, sometimes with painful results. The funds collected by the rodeo go back to the walk of the rodeo and to the inmates' welfare fund, which provides inmates with educational and leisure supplies. Naadam festivals take place throughout Mongolia, with the largest here in Ulaanbaatar. ULAANBAATAR, MONGOLIA. The "male" sports in Mongolia are celebrated at this ancient festival held across the country from July 11 to 13 and anyone coming, including tourists, are welcome as competitors or spectators. The full name of the festival is 'eriin gurvan naadam', meaning 'the three games of men', which are wrestling, riding and archery. And even though it is very much a traditional game, it moves over time and women can now compete in everything but wrestling. In 2010, Naadam was enrolled on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and a variety of travel companies offer guided tours. Gregor Edmunds competes in the cabernet throw (left) and weight over a bar at Cowal Highland Gathering. Highland Games: Dunoon, Scotland. As Scottish as whisky and haggis, Highland Games are held throughout the country from May to September with a full 60 sports contested. The largest of them all is Cowal Highland Gathering over the last weekend of August which has been en route in Dunoon since way back in 1894. Among the most popular events is the cabernet throwing that sees massive guys in kilts throwing a giant log into the air and trying to get the top of it to land closest to them - they say it originates from when such a technique was used to create bridge crossings over waterways. Other events include the throwing of a massive stone, weight throwing contests referees at either distance or height and the sheaf throwing where a pitchfork is used to throw a heavy lump of straw over a bar. Pipebands and Highland dance competitions along with local food and general frivolity are also important parts of such festivals. Entry to the three days of the Snow Polo World Cup in St Moritz is free, but it is not exactly cheap. ST MOREITZ, Switzerland. One of the great strengths of sports is their all-embracing ability to bring different layers of society together on equal terms - you wouldn't think snow polo is one of them though. However, as the Snow Polo World Cup has been held in St Moritz, it is a free event for spectators who want to see from the stands or the edge of the field. This does not include accommodation at the relatively expensive resort, or food, or the inevitable champagne that seems suitable at such a deal. VIP tickets are also available for sit-down lunches and other benefits. Yet more than 12,000 people saw the 2015 edition of the Cup in January and more are expected for the 2016 event from January 29 to 31. The event has been held here since 1985 when teams gather from around the world to play on the idyllic frozen lake for the Cartier Trophy. With snow-covered mountains in Engadin Valley as a backdrop and all kinds of accompanying events, the ski resort region's expensive hotels are also packed at this time so book far ahead. What are the highlights of this article?
Traditionell idrott i Skottlands Highland Games och Mongoliets Naadam. Fru Carrying, Bog Snorkelling och Cheese-Rolling bland kookiest. Camel Brottning i Turkiet och Prison Rodeo i USA mer kontroversiell.
Traditional sport in Scotland's Highland Games and Mongolia's Naadam. Mrs. Carrying, Bog Snorkelling and Cheese-Rolling among the Kookies. Camel Wrestling in Turkey and Prison Rodeo in the United States more controversial.