Kazakhstan’s best berkutchi (eagle hunters)
have been named. The 16th national championship in hunting with birds of prey among
juniors and youth took place in the Turkistan region. Around 70 athletes participated
in the competition, including female berkutchi. Ayazhan Daniyarkyzy brought two
golden eagles with her—Altyn and Aryn.
«The bird is heavy, and of course, it was not
easy to control and hold it. It’s a fact that boys generally have more strength
than girls. At first, my arms and shoulders hurt. But over time, I got used to
it, and now everything is fine,» shared eagle huntress Ayazhan Daniyarkyzy.
The traditional competitions lasted for three
days and consisted of several rounds. First, falcons and hawks were released
into free flight to assess their ability to return to their kusbegi’s hand upon
command. Then, the birds soared into the sky, either taking turns or flying simultaneously,
and struck their prey on command. According to the organizers, the number of
participants has been growing every year.
«In the past, the youngest berkutchi were 60
years old, while the oldest were 90. Moreover, there were only about 20 of them
in the country. And, of course, they practiced this type of hunting solely with
golden eagles. Now, however, 80-90 percent of the competition participants are
young people who engage in hunting with birds of prey, including falcons and
hawks,» said Vice President of the National Qusbegilik Federation Bagdat
Muptekekyzy.
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