Kyrgyz Independence Day and Fierce Horsemen

This past Tuesday was a very special day for Kyrgyzstan as it celebrated 19 years of independence. In honor of that, festivities were held in Bishkek.

That morning I woke up, as usual, with a dry throat and clogged nose. With the weather in Bishkek having been incredibly hot and dry for the past few weeks, dust has become the main export of my sinuses. Although it’s not particularly pleasant, I’m just glad that I have avoided getting seriously sick thus far.


My friends were mounted up and ready to go see the national sport of Kyrgyzstan, Ulak. In a nutshell, Ulak is a game where two teams mounted on horses attempt to lift the limp corpse of a sheep off the ground and throw it into a hole to score a point. While I can see how horrifying this might be to some people, particularly westerners, I have to note that it is incredibly interesting and fun to watch.

In American Football there are many rules which can confuse newcomers to the sport. Basketball, although seemingly much simpler, can just as easily confuse the novice onlooker. Ulak, on the other hand, is simple and intense. Riders are charging each other at full speed on horses, hitting one another with whips, and swooping below the stamping feet of their horses to grab the sheep. Basically, what I’m getting at is: What’s not to like?


Due to getting slightly lost and ending up on the racetrack where the game is played, a policeman on a horse escorted us to the stands where we paid our entrance fee. By the time we sat down the game had been going on for quite a while and the stands were packed. We ended up sitting in the middle of the stands where there were some extra seats for our group. Behind us was one of the most energetic and focused crowds I have ever seen in my life. The stands would erupt in a powerful roar whenever a rider would break free, sprinting with whip in mouth and sheep in hand, towards the pit to attempt to score a point for his team.

It wasn’t long before our group was screaming just as loud as the people behind us.







Pictures courtesy of Max Walker from Bishkekblog.com