Abstract: “Racing to the throne”, as an important chapter in King Gesar, is deeply loved and performed by people. In its historical development, this competitive game has become an integral part of Tibetan festival celebrations and sacrificial ceremonies, and as a traditional folk sports it has drawn wide attention from sport science in the modernization process. As a response to Stein’s judgement on the relationship between horse racing and King Gesar, the anthropological analysis of “Racing to the Throne” in this paper shows that horse racing is a necessary step for King Gesar to build a new power order through exhibiting his power of witchcraft. It is hoped that this study is of practical significance in helping us understand sacrifice-related horse racing and hold horse racing with the theme of King Gesar.

Key words: Racing to the Throne, King Gesar, Son of God, divine kingship, new order, power of witchcraft