World Nomad Games: Hungary Hosts Qualifying Competitions

ASTANA – Hungarian Association of Köbere (Kokpar) and Traditional Sports held qualifying competitions in Albertirsa for participation in the fifth World Nomad Games, which will take place on Sept. 8-14 in Astana, reported the Kazakh Foreign Ministry on April 23.

Photo credit: Kazakh Foreign Ministry

The event participants emphasized the importance of preserving the cultural heritage of traditional games, which include national competitions as part of the Turkic world’s traditional games.

Athletes took part in archery, archery on horseback, spear fighting on horseback, spear fighting on foot, wrestling on horseback, and falconry.

Photo credit: Kazakh Foreign Ministry

The Hungarian Association of Köbere (Kokpar) and Traditional Sports, based in Budapest, cooperates with the World Ethnosport Confederation.

The Kyrgyz kok boru has been included in the sports program of the World Nomad Games, following the recent negotiations between Presidents Sadyr Japarov and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana, reported Kazinform on April 21.

The competitions include horse racing, traditional forms of wrestling, intellectual games, martial arts, archery, national bird hunting, folk games such as Togyzkumalak (nine pellets), and other ethnic sports.

So far, delegations from 75 countries confirmed their participation in the World Nomad Games. Some 3,000 participants from more than 100 countries will participate, and nearly 1,000 volunteers will be involved in the games. 


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