A vibrant and exciting kokpar
tournament took place in the Kazakh capital. A friendly match between the teams
of Astana and the U.S. was held, surprising equestrian sport enthusiasts. For
many years, the U.S. team has been honing their skills by participating in such
competitions, including matches against domestic athletes.
“First of all, we want to say
thank you. We were very pleased to be here in Kazakhstan, thank you for the
hospitality, it’s been a great day so far. I know the Kazakhs are extremely
great horsemen and we were excited to play kokpar and train with them,” said Ladd
Howell, captain of the U.S. national kokpar team.
In addition to kokpar, equestrian
performances such as audaryspak, tenge ilu, sadak atu, and kyz kuu took place
at the capital’s hippodrome. Today, Kazakhstan celebrates National Sports Day. Residents and visitors
of Astana had the chance not only to witness traditional nomadic games but also
to participate in free archery and togyzkumalak mastery workshops. Attendees
were also acquainted with the ancient art of hunting with birds of prey and
Tazy dogs.
“Today is March 20th, National
Sports Day. It is a holiday for all of us, especially for the National Sports
Association, athletes, and fans. We firmly believe that this occasion will give
an impetus to the development and popularization of our national sports. Over
recent years, national sports have experienced rapid development, thanks to the
support of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. In September of this year, a major
international event is scheduled to take place in Astana. Over 5,000 athletes
from more than 100 countries are expected to participate in the fifth World
Nomad Games, and our country will welcome more than 15,000 to 20,000 foreign
tourists,” said Islambek Salzhanov, President of Kazakhstan’s National Sports
Association.
Notably, Kazakhstan’s National
Sports Association comprises 10 federations for the most popular games. Last
year, domestic athletes took part in 12 international competitions, securing a
total of 95 medals.
