Have you ever thrown metal discs into an exploding ring? Or played basketball while on a horse? If you have, I am very surprised, and for those who haven’t, that’s totally normal.

There are countries around the world that do these for sport. There are so many sports around the world that people may have never heard about. I’m only listing a few, because this article will go on forever if I don’t. After reading this, you will learn about: Pato, Tejo, and Sepak Takraw. All are well played in areas in certain countries. 

Tejo is basically an altered version of cornhole, with a slight twist that makes it dangerously fun.  Instead of bean bags, metal discs are thrown in a ring. These rings explode when they are hit by the discs. The rings filled with gunpowder adds “excitement” to the game. Historians believe that the game was played during pre-columbian times(3500 B.C.E. – 476 C.E.), so basically a long time ago. If you want to play this game, fly down to Columbia where it’s most popular. People will probably teach you how to play, and just have fun with the culture around you. 

The next sport is Pato. Now, if you have ridden horses a lot, then you will have an advantage at this game. Pato is basketball on a horse. It’s a game with physical contact, played with teams of four in a field. It has a leather ball, with handles on it. The goal is to throw the leather ball into a ring that stands vertically. Pato recordings date back to the 1610s. It’s most popular in Argentina. Pato seems fun, but the sport has been canceled multiple times, due to the violence. It was even banned at some points in history. 

The last sport I got is Sepak Takraw (aka kick volleyball). Like volleyball, this sport can be played: indoors, outdoors, and on the beach. The teams are typically between 2-4 people, and it’s a n- contact sport. Unlike volleyball, the net is a lot lower to the ground, due to only being able to hit the ball with your feet. Sepak Takraw is commonly played in southeast Asia. The official creation of the competition started in 1960, so it’s the newest sport out of the three. There are tournaments and competitions for this sport.

People around the world get very creative with their sports and entertainment. I personally feel like it would be very cool to witness these games, or maybe participate in Tejo. I don’t have the skill sets for the others. Anyways, if you got free time in your life, go fly down and check these games out. Have some fun, and explore the culture of the countries you visit.