It’s a tradition that dates back hundreds of years, where two stallions fight over a female to ring the Chinese new year. And when it’s the Year of the Horse, the fights are considered to be even more significant. They’re held in small villages across southern China and have been condemned by animal rights groups, including Hong-Kong based Animals Asia. But those who participate in the events defend the fights and insist they take care of the animals.

Marcelo Maragni was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil. According to his mother’s idea, he was ment to be an architect in a quest of changing the world. Instead, he preferred to take possession of his father’s camera and learn another craft on his own.

General view of a clash after the match of the Egyptian Premier League between Pyramids FC and Zamalek at the 30 June Air Defense Stadium in Cairo, Egypt on April 23, 2019. (Photo by Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters)

A young female demonstrator is arrested by police during clashes in the Causeway Bay area of Hong Kong, China on October 6, 2019. Hundreds of thousands of protesters marched through the city's streets in defiance of the new “no-mask” law, which was introduced two days ago as demonstrations roll into a 14th week. (Photo by Rick Findler/EPA/EFE/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Itzhak de Laat of Team Netherlands crashes during the Men's 500m Heats on day seven of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Capital Indoor Stadium on February 11, 2022 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Toby Melville/Reuters)

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton walks past Houston Texans Cheerleaders ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of USA race at the Circuit of the Americas on October 23, 2022 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters)

Boxer Tommy Fury is pictured during a weight measurement, a day ahead of a match against Jake Paul (not pictured) in Riyadh, on February 25, 2023. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine/AFP Photo)

Peter Carberry riding Gabbys Cross falls off during the Randox Grand National Chase during day three of the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse on April 15, 2023 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)