In rural China, local sports festivals, known as ‘Village Games’, have become the world's biggest, attracting 100,000s of fans to watch ordinary people become extraordinary athletes.

By day, these athletes are farmers, bankers, and truck drivers. But when competition begins, they transform into fierce rivals, competing for chickens, pride, and glory. 

Photographer and explorer Thomas Heaton goes behind the scenes of the sports at the heart of these festivals – dragon boat racing, football and horse racing. He meets the teams and trains alongside the competitors, experiencing the physical and emotional demands of each sport while uncovering the history, rituals, and traditions that surround each event.

Along the way, he also explores the wider culture surrounding the games, from embroidery traditions and village festivals to local food and rituals, revealing how deeply embedded these events are in everyday life. In a rapidly changing China, these village games offer communities a way to preserve tradition and hold onto a sense of identity in the face of rapid modernisation.