ALMATY — A two-year-old Kazakh tazy dog named Akbaqai became one of the stars of the eighth International Ethnosport Culture Festival in Istanbul, drawing attention from thousands of visitors and even attracting purchase offers from admirers of the ancient hunting breed.
A two-year-old Kazakh tazy dog named Akbaqai became one of the stars of the eighth International Ethnosport Culture Festival in Istanbul. Photo credit: the Karagandy Region’s administration.
Kazakhstan was represented by breeders of the national tazy dog breed, as well as eagle hunters demonstrating traditional hunting techniques and elements of Kazakh culture.
The four-day festival held on May 21 – 24, brought together participants from nearly 20 countries, showcasing traditional sports, cultural practices and nomadic heritage from across the world, reported the Karagandy Region’s administration.
Photo credit: the Karagandy Region’s administration.
For Akbaqai, a tazy from the city of Balkhash, the event marked his first trip abroad. Despite being a newcomer to the international stage, the dog quickly became a crowd favorite.
Festival visitors praised Akbaqai’s elegant appearance, calm temperament and friendly character. He was awarded a medal during the event, while representatives of the World Ethnosport Confederation also expressed interest in the breed.
The dog belongs to breeder Agybai Zhassanbekov, who was unable to travel to Türkiye and entrusted the presentation of Akbaqai to his friend and fellow enthusiast Aibat Toleuov.
“Unfortunately, I could not attend in person, so my friend represented Akbaqai. But I think it is fair to say that our tazy dogs won the hearts of people in a distant country. The whole world got to see Kazakhstan’s dogs,” Zhassanbekov said.
“People even wanted to buy Akbaqai because they liked him so much,” he added.
Preserving a national breed
Zhassanbekov has spent nearly 20 years breeding Kazakh tazy and tobet dogs, both of which are considered important symbols of Kazakhstan’s nomadic heritage.
He acquired Akbaqai as a one-month-old puppy from the Mangystau Region. Since then, the dog has undergone extensive training for traditional hunting, including pursuing hares and foxes, and has participated in regional competitions in shyrga tartu, a traditional lure-chasing sport that develops hunting skills.
According to his owner, Akbaqai stands out for his speed, endurance and intelligence — qualities for which the tazy breed has long been valued by nomadic hunters across the Kazakh steppe.
Zhassanbekov says one of his long-term goals is to establish a dedicated nursery in Balkhash focused on preserving and developing Kazakhstan’s indigenous dog breeds.
Together with Toleuov, he currently trains tazy dogs on land near the local airport. However, he says the available space is becoming insufficient as their activities expand. In addition to dogs, the enthusiasts also keep horses used for training and traditional equestrian sports.
The appearance of Kazakh tazy dogs at one of the world’s largest ethnosport gatherings comes as Kazakhstan continues efforts to promote and preserve its nomadic heritage internationally. The breed gained global recognition in 2023 when the Fédération Cynologique Internationale granted the Kazakh tazy preliminary international recognition, a milestone widely celebrated by breeders and cultural heritage advocates across the country.
