Buzkashi/ Koup- kari
The great horse game of Central Asia
Is the traditional wild horse game of Central Asia, unique in the world, with a dead goat as the aim to catch. We are proud to organize visits of those games at big celebration days from autumn till spring. Often it is connected with traditional weddings over a couple of days.
Kok Beru, Ulak tartysh, Kok-bory, Buz- Kashi.
The carcass is pretty heavy inside filled up with wet salt
and becomes easily 40- 50 kg.
The horsemen compete to grab it and gallop away and then dropping the carcass after some 50 or 100 meters. A judge on a horse controlls the game more or less but in any case he is ruling out the actual winner. The other riders try to prevent that by attacking the rider and trying to steal the carcass away.
Kup Kari is held only in the Winter saison, starting around end of October
till end of March. It begins at 10 or 11 am and may last till sundown at
5 or 6pm. Its a fierce struggle with smashing whips on horses and men, whinning
horses, raising dust and a allways running crowd. Twice men of the surrounding
crowd got ridden down by accident but it seemed the horses had a extreme
sense, they didnt hurt those men although it looked really frightening. The
riders are remarkable horsemen and fierce competitors, where anything goes.
Smashed faces, bloody ears, even we saw a horse with a beaten out eye. The
horses show a lot of courage, they are very good trained and are devoted
to their owners.
The riders wear high leather boots with a hugh heels, cushioned jackets
and a fur hat or more modern tank caps.
The horses are bred for the game and possess special qualities. We saw mostly
stallions of pure or half pure Karabair breed, some horses seemd to have some
mongolian blood, some horses to have a wider relative of Akhal Tekke.
Winners get prizes in cash and in cattle. It starts with 10.000 Sum (10 USD) and goes up to sheeps, goats, joung bulls, camels even cars on big events. The game lasts around 15- 30 minutes, then starts the next round for a new price and with a new winner.
Please contact us for further details
