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Animals in sport are a specific form ofworking animals. Many animals, at least in more commercialsports, are highly trained. Two of the most common animals in sport are horses and dogs.

There are many types of animal sporting events, with varying levels of participation from humans. Some are solely between the animals while others use the animals in a lesser role. Most sports involve training, while some can also involve selective breeding.

There are some large-scale events that include animals in a variety of sports. Arodeo can comprise many different sports, ranging frombull riding topole bending. Some of the most well known types of animal racing arehorse racing, dog racing (e.g.Greyhound racing,sled dog racing),pigeon racing, andcamel racing.

Racing is the most popular form of animal-related sport, particularlyhorse racing. Some racing events directly involve humans as riders while others see the animals race alone. In some sports the rider is not directly riding the animal, instead being pulled along. Examples of this includeharness racing,dogsled racing and popular ancient Greece and Roman Empire sport ofchariot racing.

Greyhound racing, a popular form of animal racing, dates back to the 1800s in the United States, after the dogs were brought over from Europe to help control thehare population. While track racing is the most common, there are other forms of racing.Pigeon racing, for example, seeshoming pigeons finding their way home from a set distance away.Kambala, he-buffalo racing in coastalKarnataka, India is a rural spectator racing conducted every year during winter in about 50 towns/villages.^[1] Racing events are a common way togamble, with billions^{[clarification needed]} spent worldwide every year. This is one reason that some countries or states have made such sports illegal.

There are some non-racing competitive events involving animals.Polo is an example, with competitors hitting aball withmallets while on horseback.Elephant polo dates back to the early 20th century when members of the British aristocracy inNepal began playing the sport.^[2]

In the 14th to 16th centuriesjousting was a popular one-on-one tournament event involving knights on horseback.^[3]

In most countries, the act of causing two or more animals to fight each other, as incockfighting anddog fighting, is seen as cruel and is therefore banned by the law. Some animal fights are lawful in countries around the world, includingcow fighting andcamel wrestling. There are also some forms of lawful sport in which humans fight animals, such asbullfighting, which has a long history inSpanish andPortuguese tradition, andjallikattu, which has similar tradition inTamil Nadu, India.^[4] Not all animals are large, however, withcricket fighting being a popular sport inMacau andHong Kong, although gambling on it is now against the law.^[5]

There are several otherblood sports in history that were intended as entertainment, many of which involvedbaiting by dogs. Many different types of animal have been placed into a pit, sometimes tied to a post, and set upon by dogs. This ranges fromrat-baiting andbadger-baiting tobear-baiting andlion-baiting. There are even some tales ofhuman-baiting.^{[citation needed]}

Animals that take part in animal fights are usually specifically bred for strength and stamina.

Hunting began as a crucial component ofhunter-gatherer societies, being an important source of food. The domestication of animals and the development ofagriculture lessened the need for hunts, with food being more readily available. Hunting became a sport for those of the highsocial classes. In most parts ofmedieval Europe, the upper-class (aristocracy and higher clergy) obtained as privilege the sole rights to hunt in certain areas of a feudal territory.

Dangerous hunting, as for lions or wild boars, usually on horseback (or from achariot, as inPharaonic Egypt andMesopotamia) also had function similar totournaments and manly sports: an honourable, somewhat competitive pastime to help the aristocracy practice skills of war in times of peace. Inancient Rome the "Venatio" was a form of entertainment that pitted humans against animals in an amphitheater.

In modern times, hunting is usually legal as long as the hunter has a license, though there are some unregulated forms in some countries. Animals can be on either side of a hunt, assisting the hunters or being hunted themselves.

Fox hunting has been a controversial issue, particularly in the United Kingdom, regarding its necessity and the cruelty involved^[6] (SeeFox hunting legislation).

Fishing is somewhat different from other sports and is most commonly a pastime or hobby. However, it can also bea competitive sport.

Pigeon shooting was one of theshooting events of the1900 Summer Olympics.^[7] Competitors in these events had to kill as many live pigeons as possible. Birds were released one at a time from 'traps' in front of the shooters.^[8]

Shows are intended to highlight the excellence of training orbreeding of the animals involved. There is a variety of horse riding sports in this category, includingshow jumping anddressage, both of which are featured at theOlympic Games. At lower levels,horse shows offer a wide variety of competition bothriding and driving as well asIn-hand classes that evaluateequine conformation.

Dogs, being easilydomesticated, are one of the most popular animals to have in shows.Cattle andsheepdog trials are popular in many countries and are used to show how well a dog cangather livestock. Otherdog sports of this category includedog agility events, whereby the dogs must tackleobstacle courses, andobedience trials, where they must execute a predefined set of tasks.

Crufts, a Britishconformation show for dogs, has grown since it started in 1886. While dogs are the most common show animal,cat shows are also common. Both of these animals have a wide variety of breeds and compete in categories, comparing each individual to the breed "ideal".

Some unusual animals also take part in shows, such as the competitors inrabbit show jumping andcommon chaffinches invinkenzetting of thebird singing contests.

Films and television series about animals in sport can be realistic or fictional, involving animals in an activity that they cannot really perform.Seabiscuit is a fairly accurate portrayal^{[according to whom?]} of the famous Americanhorse of the same name, whileMVP: Most Valuable Primate, a film about ahockey-playingchimpanzee, is unrealistic.^{[citation needed]}

The 1980animated filmAnimalympics is a spoof of the Olympic Games and featuresanthropomorphicised animals.^[9] In the combinationlive action andanimation filmBedknobs and Broomsticks, animated animals play a game offootball.^[10] Similarly, several television commercials used theBudweiser Clydesdales and other animals in live-action andCGA roles to appear to be playingAmerican football.^[11]

From 1976 to 1999, theBBC broadcastOne Man and His Dog, a television series about sheepdog trials.^[12] They also commissioned three series ofPets Win Prizes, agame show with contestants' pets having to perform in various tasks.^[13][14]

Man vs. Beast is an American television show that pitches humans against animals in a variety of unusual challenges,^[15][16] includingcompetitive eating between world championTakeru Kobayashi and abrown bear.^[17]

• Cruelty to animals
• Animals in culture
• Animals in professional wrestling
• Animals on television
• Insect fighting

• Animals in sport

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