While Finland’s teenage girls have been galloping around arenas with stuffed horse heads on sticks for years, Hungary is now putting a masculine spin on the concept. Welcome to hobby moto-crossing, where grown men sprint around dirt tracks clutching nothing but handlebars.
The sport follows the same premise as its equestrian-inspired predecessor. Participants race through actual motocross courses complete with jumps, berms, and obstacles. The only thing missing? The motorcycles themselves. Competitors simply hold onto handlebars and power through the track on foot, their legs doing all the work that engines would normally handle.
🏁 Hobby moto-crossing is gaining popularity in Hungary
Full-scale competitions are already being held — just like real motocross, with one exception.
There are no motorcycles. Participants simply run along the track holding handlebars and compete for speed. pic.twitter.com/XcBdyVYSH9
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) February 20, 2026
Full-scale competitions are already underway in Hungary, mirroring the format of traditional motocross events.
The emergence of hobby moto-crossing appears to be a response to the demographics of the hobby horse movement, which has struggled to attract male participants. As 19-year-old hobby horse competitor Aquata Kirveskari noted at Finland’s national championships, “This is a sport for everybody, but the boys haven’t been participating so much yet. But there are more and more coming every year.”
Finland remains the global epicenter of hobby horsing, with over 10,000 enthusiasts nationwide. The country’s annual championships in Seinajoki drew 400 competitors and 2,500 spectators this year for what organizers called “the biggest hobby horse event in the world.” The predominantly female field of 10-to-18-year-olds competed in show jumping, barrel racing, and dressage with their homemade creations.
Elviira Sarakoski of the Finnish Hobby Horse Association says participants are drawn to the camaraderie and independence the sport offers. “At real horse stables, you always have adults telling you what is right and how things should be done. It’s not that it is bad, particularly concerning safety, but still,” she explained.
The highlight of the Finnish championships came when 16-year-old Marie Karkkainen set a new national high jumping record, clearing a bar set at 4 feet, 7 inches. “I wasn’t expecting anything like this at all. I was expecting like 1 meter or something,” she said afterward.
Hobby horsing has gained traction in Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Meanwhile, hobby moto-crossing is building its own community.
