ASTANA—The U.S. kokpar team arrived in Kazakhstan on Sept. 5 to compete in ethnic equestrian sports at the fifth World Nomad Games, Kazinform reported.
Photo credit: Rustem Kozhybayev/Kazinform
Ladd Howell, the team captain, shared his lifelong passion for horses, which began with his interest in American professional rodeo. He first discovered kokpar in 2018 through a YouTube video, instantly captivated by what he described as “the coolest thing” he had ever seen.
Two months later, a friend from Wyoming invited Howell to play this game at the third World Nomad Games in 2018 in the Kyrgyz Republic. This was his first hands-on experience with the sport, which solidified his passion for the game.
While there are no kokpar games in the U.S., Howell pointed out similarities between kokpar and American rodeo, especially in how both sports promote hard work, horsemanship, and dedication among young participants. He sees these shared traits as key to developing discipline and commitment in riders across both cultures.
“Horses are a kind of bridge; it is what unites us all. Horses are like an international language, and that is why we are here, as cowboys, enjoy sports and culture,” he said.
The U.S. team will be using horses provided by Kazakhstan for the competition. They plan to train with the horses for a day or two before the competition to determine which one are best suited for offensive and defensive roles. Although team members come from different states, which makes it difficult to train together, they practiced individually on their own horses in preparation for the games.
Scott Zimmerman, the team’s second captain, shared optimism for a strong performance at the upcoming games.
“We want to make sure that we can share our Western American cowboy culture, as well as embrace the culture of Central Asian countries. We want to talk about Kazakhstan and this unique opportunity,” he said.
Zimmerman also noted that the team had made efforts to promote kokpar in the U.S., believing it would resonate with cowboys and Western American culture due to its emphasis on horsemanship and competitive spirit. To further this goal, they have continued participating in the World Nomad Games since 2018 to deepen their understanding of the culture of Central Asia and its ethnic sports.
