Competitions between the best
golden eagle hunters were held in Astana. It was attended by skilled hunters
with birds of prey from the regions of Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, and
Kyrgyzstan. The open international championship was hosted for the sixth time
this year. The jury evaluated special skills such as hunting for prey and
successful interaction with owners, namely responding to their commands and
landing on their hands.
“Our task is to pass on the
skills of this exciting sport to the younger generation. The golden eagle is a
very intelligent bird, and not everyone can tame it. The main thing is to care
for the bird and show kindness. Thus, it is important to learn this skill,” said
Nurlan Moldakhanov, head coach in salburyn, Kyrgyz national sport.
“My grandfather taught me this
skill. He sought to give me all the knowledge that has been passed down through
generations from our ancestors. I am proud to engage in this national sport,” noted
Dias Kuntugan, golden eagle hunter.
As noted by the organizers, such
tournaments are aimed at reviving and preserving the national traditions of
nomadic peoples. The competition is held as a preparatory event for the World
Nomad Games, which will take place in Kazakhstan next year.
“As you may know, next year our
country will host the World Nomad Games. They have previously been held twice
in Kyrgyzstan, and in Turkey last year. The program of the World Nomad Games,
which will be held in Astana, also includes a golden eagle hunting competition.
This tournament can be considered a preparation for these games,” said
Yerkegali Korbozov, deputy head at the Department of Physical Education and
Sport of Astana city.
According to the competition’s
results, a golden eagle from the Atyrau region was ranked first, followed by a
bird from Astana in second place and a bird from the Akmola region in third.
