ASTANA – The United States (U.S.) delegation will participate in the National Sports Day celebration on March 20 in Astana to exchange experiences with Kazakh horse riders, reported the press service of the capital’s akimat (city administration).
Audaryspaq, a competition between riders aiming to knock their opponents off their horses. Photo credit: Akimat’s press service
Azamat Agzamov, the head of the sports department of Astana’s Department of Physical Culture and Sports, stated that U.S. cowboys will attend demonstration performances and be introduced to Kazakh kokpar, a national equestrian game in which riders compete for a goat carcass.
Horse rider take parts in tenge ilu competition, an equestrian sport where riders collect five bags of money at a distance of 150 meters in a short time. Photo credit: Akimat’s press service
The event, organized as part of the Nauryznama Decade, will be held at the Argymak equestrian sports and health complex. Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy national sports such as audaryspaq, a competition between riders aiming to knock their opponents off their horses, tenge ilu, an equestrian sport where riders collect five bags of money at a distance of 150 meters in a short time, and qyz quu, a game of catching up with a girl.
Photo credit: Akimat’s press service
Visitors can also attend free master classes on toguz kumalak (nine pellets) and asyk atu, a board game made from the bones of a sheep’s knee joint, and enjoy a crafts fair.
Apart from these activities, the akimat has arranged several sports competitions at five different venues across the city on March 21-23, where valuable prizes will be awarded to the winners.
