During your trip to Kyrgyzstan, you may have the opportunity to witness a match of buzkashi or kok-boru, notably on August 31st, Independence Day. Far removed from the refined and fair-play world of polo, this equestrian sport pits two teams of horsemen against each other over a goat carcass that serves as a "ball".

Also known as ulak tartish in Kyrgyz, this traditional sport of "grabbing the goat" offers a spectacle brimming with color and intensity that, while it may strike you as brutal, showcases the incredible agility of both riders and their mounts, as well as the fervor of often sizeable crowds.

A Brief History

The term buzkashi derives from the Persian words boz (goat) and kachi (to pull). According to legend, the game was inspired by wolves teaching their young to hunt.

Originally the main entertainment at Turkmen weddings, it has spread throughout Central Asia. Elevated to the status of national sport in Afghanistan, and said to count its finest champions in Uzbekistan, this rugged equestrian contest serves not only as entertainment for Kyrgyz nomadic herders, but also as valuable training for their livelihood. In villages, they play weekly. The Kyrgyz were crowned world champions of Kok-Boru at the last nomadic games.

How a Match Unfolds

Buzkashi is played between two teams with a variable number of players on a vast terrain (the steppe being an ideal setting).

The primary objective is to seize, bare-handed from atop a horse, the carcass of a decapitated animal (usually a goat, sheep, or ram) and then launch into a wild gallop to throw it into the opponent team's goal, marked by a circle drawn in chalk or made from tires.

The game begins with only two horsemen designated as "captains" from each team. At a gallop, they clash, bending low to grab the dead animal that weighs at least 20 kilograms with one hand. What follows is a frenzied chase in which the opposing chopendoz (players) will do everything to reclaim this "ball".

All must display impressive agility, strength, and cunning throughout the match. Whip strikes, kicks, rears, collisions... All tactics are permitted to fight over the bloodied carcass and win.

Buzkashi players are exceptional riders—robust and enduring. The horses have often undergone extensive training to participate effectively in this wild melee; some are even trained to bite the necks of rival mounts or to seize the goat carcass themselves.

The ultimate winner is the rider who scores the most goals. Kumiss (fermented mare's milk) and vodka will flow freely in celebration.