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Wonderful sports day / athletic festival

[Blazing] Carefully selected tracks perfect as BGM for cavalry battles at sports festivals!

Kibasen (cavalry battle), where teams of three to five form a “horse,” and the rider tries to snatch a hat or sash from riders on other “horses.” It’s a classic sports day event that gets not only the participants but also the spectators fired up, with battles as heated as those of samurai in the Warring States period! In this article, we introduce songs that are perfect for kibasen.

Drawing on the horseback theme, we’ve picked tracks from various genres—from theme songs of historical dramas depicting the lives of samurai, to sports day staples, to J-pop that fills you with energy just by listening.

Use this as a reference!

[Red Hot] Carefully Selected Songs Perfect for Sports Day Cavalry Battles (31–40)

We’ve gotta do what seems impossible.Sambomasutā

A powerful anthem that gives you a push in those youthful moments.

Released by Sambomaster in February 2010, this song carries a warm message that boosts self-affirmation and the spirit to take on challenges.

Centered on themes of “not giving up,” “moving forward,” and “possibility,” it offers a gentle embrace for everyone’s anxieties and doubts while giving the courage to take a new step.

It has been featured in a Nissan commercial and as the image song for the film Cheer☆Dance, resonating with many hearts.

It’s a classic that students training for sports festivals, as well as anyone standing at a crossroads in life, should hear.

Start to shine and run forwardSambomasutā

Sambomaster / Starting to Shine and Run - MUSIC VIDEO
Start to shine and run forwardSambomasutā

A heartwarming song from Sambomaster that delivers a straightforward message as a cheer anthem coloring a page of youth.

Centered on the belief in the miracle that each person can shine and the courage to start running toward it, it gently gives a push to those burdened with worries and anxieties.

Its powerful lyrics, which emphasize the importance of blooming in your own way without comparing yourself to others, resonate deeply.

Released in August 2018, it served as the theme song for the TBS Friday drama Cheer☆Dan, memorably enriching the story of high school students striving toward their dreams.

This work is recommended as a warm encouragement song that stands by people at moments like charging toward a goal with teammates at a sports festival, or taking a new first step.

William Tell OvertureRosshīni

[Yuri Simonov] William Tell Overture Gioachino Rossini: Opera “William Tell”, Overture (March of the Swiss Army)
William Tell OvertureRosshīni

The overture to a grand opera by Rossini, one of Italy’s most iconic composers.

Structured in four parts, it begins at dawn, passes through a storm scene, moves into pastoral tranquility, and then unfolds into a heroic march—a truly masterful progression.

Premiered in 1829, this work became widely known as the opening theme of the American TV series The Lone Ranger and was also used on Fuji TV’s Oretachi Hyokin-zoku, lodging itself in the memories of many.

Its powerful rhythms and dynamic melodies make it perfect for the exit scene at a school sports day, heightening the excitement as participants leave the field and bringing the event to a rousing, resonant close.

“Star Wars” Main ThemeJohn Williams

Star Wars Main Title / John Williams - Main Title from the film “Star Wars” performed by the Ryukoku University Wind Ensemble
"Star Wars" Main ThemeJohn Williams

This grand piece by John Williams is perfect for energizing a cavalry-battle event.

It begins with a powerful brass fanfare and unfolds into a bold, expansive melody.

The music stirs courage and a spirit of adventure, as if samurai from the Warring States period were heading into battle.

Released in 1977 as the main theme of the film Star Wars, the piece has continued to be used throughout the series and has become a classic that remains in many people’s hearts.

If you play this during the cavalry battle at a school sports day, everyone is sure to feel like a hero on the field!

cavalry battleHayashi Yuuki

This piece was used as part of the soundtrack for the second season of the TV anime “My Hero Academia,” with the CD released in September 2017.

The track energizes the action-packed, thrilling cavalry battle scene with its dynamic and dramatic progression.

Skillfully combining strings with programmed sounds, it vividly conveys the atmosphere of fierce competition and combat.

It’s perfect not only for the sports festival’s cavalry battle, but also for hyping up sports matches and intense fight scenes.

Showcasing Yuki Hayashi’s musical talent, the song is highly acclaimed by anime fans.

[Intense] Carefully Selected Songs Perfect for Sports Day Cavalry Battle BGM! (41–50)

Symphony No. 5 “Revolution,” Fourth MovementDmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich

A masterpiece that combines power and grandeur, this work dynamically conveys the appeal of Dmitri Shostakovich’s symphony.

The orchestra’s commanding performance instantly elevates the atmosphere of a gymnasium, creating excitement befitting a tense competition.

At its premiere in Leningrad in November 1937, Yevgeny Mravinsky and the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra achieved great success with their performance.

Featuring march-like phrases and a forceful rhythm, this piece is an ideal BGM to lift the spirits of all participants and lead them onto a grand stage.

Used for the main events of a sports day or for entrances and exits, it will foster a strong sense of unity throughout the venue.

Rocky Themebirukonti

Every ROCKY Training Montage in Order
Rocky Themebirukonti

A sports anthem that resonates with a powerful brass section and full orchestral sound, portraying humanity’s boundless potential and passion.

Known as a quintessential masterpiece at the intersection of film and music, it stages a grand narrative themed around hard work, growth, and a leap toward one’s dreams.

Composed by Bill Conti for the film Rocky, released in February 1977, it reached No.

1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July of the same year and ranked 58th on AFI’s 100 Years of Film Scores.

Beyond exit scenes, it’s a highly effective track for moments when you want to encourage people who are giving their all—such as school events, sports day practice, and lineup formations.