Reindeer racing thrills spectators in Finland's frigid north near the Russian border

Reindeer compete during the Salla Porocup reindeer sprint racing event on the frozen Lake Keselmajarvi in Salla, Finland, March 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Aino Vaananen)

SALLA, Finland — Traditional reindeer racing that’s been delighting spectators for decades in Finland brought hundreds of fans to the Salla Reindeer Cup in the town of Salla this past weekend.

Around 1,000 people attended the competition, despite frigid subfreezing temperatures and the remote location near the Russian border, roughly 264 kilometers (164 miles) northeast of the city of Oulu.

They watched and cheered as the reindeer galloped across the snow-covered track, pulling their handlers behind them on skis. Whoever is fastest wins the race.

Spectators came not only from Finland but also Italy, Norway, Germany and France, among other countries.

Reindeer husbandry has been an important part of Scandinavian culture for many decades, especially for the Sami Indigenous people in the far north of the country.

“Salla has a long history in reindeer racing — it’s been going on here since the 1950s," said Lasse Aatsinki, the head of Salla Reindeer Cup. “Back then, men spent winters in the forest, there were no snowmobiles. In late winter, the reindeer were in great shape, so they started racing them.”

These days, reindeer racing is an organized and regulated competition with trained male reindeer.

The premiere event was the so-called hot series, in which reindeer qualify if they race the kilometer-long (just over a half-mile) track in 1 minute, 19 seconds, or less. Only the fastest reindeer get to compete in this race.

“It’s a science. A lot depends on the reindeer’s character — it has to tolerate a lot: the audience, other reindeer, noise, movement," Aatsinki said. “Everyone has their tricks — and they’re usually kept under the fur hat. Every owner has their own way.”

During the race, crowds cheered their favorites on with calls of “hyvä, hyvä” and “mene, mene” — which is Finnish for “good, good” and “go, go” — as the reindeer sprinted down the final stretch.

In between races, people kept warm with reindeer soup and kampanisu, a traditional local pastry specialty from Salla.

The competition culminated Sunday with the final rounds and it was reindeer named Pompom which won the final race.

“Pompom is exceptionally fast and smart, and you rarely find one like that,” said Hannu Krupula, the winning animal’s owner.

“If there’s any weakness, it’s that it’s not very good-looking — which can be misleading,” he added.

“When you look at that reindeer, you might quickly think it’s poorly fed or something. But it eats well. It’s a rare individual.”

And thus after the race, Pompom and all the other reindeer got their own reward — lichen, a symbiotic, colorful organism that grows on trees or rocks, and is the animals’ favorite treat.

Aino Väänänen, The Associated Press