There are lots of popular and entertaining summer sports. Maybe you spend your evenings watching baseball games from your couch or from a seat in the ballpark. Maybe you watch your kids’ swim meets, or attend their soccer games. But there’s one summer sport we bet you haven’t heard of, international hand-mowing. Now, you won’t find this game in the summer olympics but watch this video and prepare to be impressed!

International hand-mowing competitions are actually popular in many parts of the world, including in the United States and Europe. In this competition, a man using the simplest of tools faces off against a motorized mower.

When the video begins, it looks hopeless. A scrawny, shirtless man wielding only a scathe squares off against a burly, fully clothed fellow pushing a motorized mower. According to the video, the mower was manufactured by BCS, but I doubt that they will be using this clip in their advertising anytime soon.

Both the motorized mower and the scythe-wielding man face rectangles of tall grass, of apparently the same size. They race, trying to see whether technology will beat out the age-old tradition of blood, sweat, tears and metal. “Don’t let technology beat you,” roars the crowd, clearly siding with tradition. Watch the video to see whether technology triumphs over tradition.

The competition featured in the video is part of the Wimple Scything Festival, which features marathons, quarter acre, and eight of an acre competitions. The competitions are no joke. Their website reads, “If a competitor requires first aid, the clock will be stopped for the duration of treatment.” Will our scythe-wielding hero survive with no need for bandages? Watch the video to find out – and remember, scythes are awfully sharp!

Maybe this video will inspire you and your family members to look at household chores with a new lens. After all, nothing motivates more than competition!

SHARE the love and pass it on.