National sports
Long-long time ago, national games and competitions were the favorite amusement
in Kyrgyz land. No special events passed without it.
A horse is man’s wings
At Chabysh - Long-Distance Races
Dzorgosalysh - Pacer's Races
Kok-boru or Ulak tartysh
Oodarysh - Wrestling on Horseback
Kuresh – waist wrestling
Tyin enmey – picking up coin off the ground
Kyz-Kuumai - Chasing After the Bride
Kyz dzharysh - Girls and Young women’s Races
Jumby Atmai - Shooting at the target while
galloping
Upai
Falconry
The Chaban Festival
A horse is man’s wings
To the Kyrgyz, a horse is a prized possession, and horsemanship
a much-prized skill.
Perhaps, therefore, it is not surprising that among the
most popular national pastimes, or sports) are contests on horseback.
The relationship between a man and his horse is praised
in the heroic epic poem «Manas» — The mighty hero, Manas, resembles
a tower built of silver and his snow-white steed Ak-Kula carries him swiftly
over the mountain tops. The horse looks like a bird hovering over the
sharp peaks of the mountains.
Chinghiz Aitmatov's novel «Farewell Gulsary» tells a touching
story of the of the relationship between a horse (a pacer) and his
owner as the old man reflects on events in their shared life as the
horse lies dying.
Kyrgyz horses possess such qualities as lightness and good
coordination (essential in the mountains). They are exceptionally
hearty, will eat almost anything, and are not susceptible to sudden
changes of weather. They can endure long-distance marches with the rider.
For these reasons Kyrgyz ponies were prized possessions even further
a field in Russia and Europe in the past. Top
At Chabysh - Long-Distance Races
Long-distance races are an ancient and widespread sport.
Fast and hearty horses capable of enduring long-distance are chosen
for the race.
Experienced trainers prepare yearlings for a race called
«tai chabysh» and one-and-a-half year old foals run in the «kunan
chabysh» race. When the animals become three years old they are entered
into the competitions proper.
Previously «Aht-chabysh» races were held on different occasions,
usually in connection with some holiday or commemorative festival.
The winner (or its owner) was given some jewelry and cattle as a reward.
Horses of various breeds and ages took part in the races. Each trainer
had his own methods of preparing the racer for the competition. The
distance was 53 versts (1 versta - 1,066 km), later on 100 kilometers.
Moreover the riders were quite often boys of 10-13 years of age, sometimes
riding without a saddle.
According to current rules, only horses three years old
and older of any breed are admitted to the races. The riders «minimal
age must be not less than 13. The distance ranges from 4 to 50 kilometers.
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Dzorgosalysh - Pacer's Races
Amble (laterally gaited) is a rapid double tempo pace.
The pacer swings the right front and right hind legs forward at the
same time. Experts consider «dzorgo» to be a great merit of a horse.
These horses demonstrate not only speed but also gracefulness. The
Kyrgyz people have many proverbs and sayings related to the pacer, such
as: «Don’t let your horse run beside a pacer.» Top
Kok-boru or Ulak tartysh
Wrestling on Horseback for a Goat’s Carcass - kok-boru
or ulak tartysh mean «grey wolf». Apparently, the original game came
historically developed in antiquity when herds of cattle grazed in
the steppes and mountains all year round, exposed to possible attacks
by wolves.
Having no firearms, the shepherds could not deal with wolves.
Brave djigits (horse riders) chased after the wolves until the beasts
of prey fell, then they began beating them with sticks and lashes,
trying to snatch them away from each other.
Later on when the people led a more settled life «kok-boru»
was replaced by ulak-tartysh. There are two teams, consisting of an
equal number of riders. The playing ground is 300 meters long and 150
meters wide. The opposite sides of this area, marked with flags, present
symbolically «the gates». In the center of the playing ground a carcass
of a goat, weighing on an average of 30-40 kilograms, is placed. One
game is 15 minutes long. The objective of the game is to seize the goat’s
carcass and deliver it into the gates of the contesting team.
The players are allowed to pick up the carcass from any
place within the limits of the field, take it from their rivals, pass
or fling it over to the partners, carry it pressed to the horse’s side
or suspended between the horse’s legs.
During the course of the game some unlikely, unforeseen
and ad hoc alliances may be formed among the participants. These alliances
are usually short-lived, dissolving in the rapid fluidity of the competition
as quickly as they are established. So one moment brothers may be
vying for the honor of becoming the new champion, whilst old rivals
can be seen aiding each other. All this fosters fast-thinking teamwork
that is absolutely vital under actual combat conditions (which the game
very realistically simulates).
The rules forbid rearing the horse, making your horse collide
with a rival’s at a high speed, seizing the rivals horse by the bridle,
taking the reins off of it, including blows with a whip, or shouting
or entering into conversation with one’s opponent. Top
Oodarysh - Wrestling on Horseback
It is one of the most popular games. Two riders try to pull each other
off the horseback. It is allowed to throw the rival together with his horse.
The time given for wrestling is 10 minutes. The rider who manages to pull
the rival off his horse or throw him down together with the horse wins the
competition. The rules allow the player to seize the rival by his sash or
arms, by his torso, to press his knees or feet against the trunk of the
rival`s horse. Top
Kuresh – waist wrestling
Kuresh – one of the most popular types of national sport in Kyrgyzstan.
Wrestlers (aged 16 and over) stand in a circle, approach each other and
place their hands onto waist area of another wrestler. On a judge’s sign
fight begins. It is allowed to use any tactics as long as the hands do
not get misplaced or get unattached from the opponents’ waists. The winner
will be the wrestler who manages to put down his opponent to the floor
on his both shoulder blades. Duration of the fight is 4 minutes for youngsters
and 6 minutes for adults. Top
Tyin enmey – picking up coin off the ground
Overall length of the distance from start to finish is no more than
100 metres. Tyin – the coin is located on a clean smooth surface, marked
in white sand or sawdust, 50-60 metres away from the starting line. That
is the coin that should be picked up by the participant. The participant
will ride up to a starting line and on the judge’s sign, he should ride
at not below the gallop pace. In a case where the participant goes into
a slow pace or a horse comes into a halt at the moment of reaching out for
the coin, the result would not be taken into consideration, neither there
will be given a second chance for another round. The competition will be
timed from start to finish. If the rider falls off the horse, he should get
back on it and get to the finishing line. Otherwise he will be withdrawn
from the game. Each participant is allowed 3 rounds. The victory will be
awarded to the one who will manage to pick up the coin as many times as possible.
Top
Kyz-Kuumai - Chasing After the Bride
The man has to catch up the girl and kiss her. Otherwise
she could beat him with a whip.
One of the most interesting horse games is kyz kuumai (chasing
after the bride). In olden days this game was a part of the wedding
ritual.
According to the rules the bride was given the best racer
and she was entitled to a head start on her horse that began the race.
The bridegroom set out in pursuit to catch up with her, in this way
proving his love and right to marry her. Being at a disadvantage with
the slower horse the bridegroom sometimes failed to catch up with up
with his fiancee. Yet, although she might beat him with her Kamchi (or
horse-whip) she did not reject him and the wedding would be held all the
same. It’s the very beautiful game: they both wear bright national clothes,
they rush on horses as wind and he tries to reach her with warlike clamors…
At present this traditional folk game is usually held during
holidays for example in the green meadows of high mountain pastures,
(zailoo) or on racecourses. Top
Kyz dzharysh - Girls and Young women’s
Races
A Kyrgyz woman learns to ride a horse in her childhood
in the highlands, where there are severe winters and deep snows,
where flocks of sheep are driven up and down steep slopes of mountains
or across turbulent foaming rivers, and where one cannot do without
a horse.
It is possible to make out the difference between the girl
and women riders by their headdresses. Girls put on hats with a
wide marten trimming while young women wear pretty kerchiefs.
Top
Jumby Atmai
- Shooting at the target while galloping
«Jumby» in Kyrgyz means an ingot of silver or other jewelry
on a thread tied to an inclined pole. The contestant has to break the
thread with a shot and bring the jumby down. Originally, the contestant
used a bow and arrow that was replaced by firearms over the course of
time.
Besides the games we have named there are several other games, such as
picking up coins from the ground while galloping («Tyin enmei»), falconry
on horseback (with falcons or eagles) for foxes, wolves and pheasants.
Top
Upai
Upai – it is a traditional game with bones from the sheep knee joints
(chuko).
This traditional Kyrgyz game can be played indoors as well as outdoors.
Most preferable place is the floor covered by a felt carpet – alah kyiiz.
Players play in two teams of 2, 4 or more members. The quantity of chuko
(bones) necessary for the game can vary from 13 up to 37 and more, but it
is important, that the total chuko correspondent to the rule: the total should
be divided by 3 without the remainder and plus 1.
Every 3 chuko make up a collection, a set, called "upai" or "basym".
The purpose of the game is to collect it is as many upai as possible (sets
from 3 bones). Top
Falconry
Hunting with the golden eagle is an ancient tradition that dates back
to the Mongol conquest of Central Asia around the 12th and 13th centuries,
when a fine eagle and good horse cost similarly and were the main indicators
of their owner’s wealthy. Centuries have passed but in Kyrgyzstan there are
still nomads who hunt with eagles and ride specially trained horses. Eagle
hunters here are called “berkutchi”. Kyrgyz people are experts in training
eagles for hunting.
Yet training eagles takes a lot of time (3-4 years), it should be done by
one person, and requires constant daily application. When the golden eagle
is still a chick, the trainer personally feeds it and speaks to it so that
the tone of his voice is imprinted in the animal's mind. Later on, the eagle
is able to distinguish human voices and will obey only voice of his master.
When the eagle is almost an adult, the trainer shows it the hides and furs
of the animals it must hunt so that it becomes used to the smell and characteristics
of the prey; all this is done with special commands.
Sent out to bunt fawns, foxes, or other small animals, the eagle dives down
on them and kills them. But often it is also capable of killing young wolves
when they cannot negotiate the deep snow. Sometimes the eagles hunt in fairs,
just as they do in the natural state. Top
The Chaban Festival
A gathering of farmers, herdsmen etc. for games. The location
and timing tends to vary from year to year depending upon harvest
and other work requirements. Sometimes called a «Kyrgyz Rodeo».
Every guest of our beautiful land can enjoy and even take
part in it. Top