#132: Horse Games

On the weekends, I went with friends to watch At-Chabysh horse games in Barskoon, Issykul. Here are some pictures from there. They had various traditional games: tyiyn engmey (picking up coins), oodarysh (wrestling on horses), kyz kuumay (chase the girl), eagle and taygan (Kyrgyz shepherds) shows.

Kyrgyz men are watching the games.
Tyiyn engmey: a Kyrgyz сhabandes (horserider) on a galloping horse picking up small stones wrapped in red cloth.
This guy was the best and had the best horse. He picked up 6 at a time.
Oodarysh: wrestlers trying to pull each other off the saddle.
Kyz kuumay: a guy is trying to reach a girl and kiss her. She can fight back with her whip.
Because the guys did not kiss the girls, it was girls' turn to chase and beat them.
Bürkütchü. Eagle-handler.
The French and Kyrgyz teams then competed in a game of horseball. The French team, in pink, won the game.
This is me in an Afghan hat the I bought last week in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, showing off again.