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- The kokpar matches themselves — Raw, loud and utterly addictive. Teams of horsemen charging, snatching a goat carcass and wrestling it toward goal lines make for high-speed chaos you won’t see anywhere else. The physicality and split-second horsemanship keep the crowd on its feet; it’s the beating heart of the whole event.
- Masterful horsemanship and tack — Riders pick up, throw and steer at full gallop with precision that looks impossible until you see it up close. Traditions show in the saddles, braided manes and riding styles; watching a seasoned rider read a horse is as much a cultural lesson as a sport highlight.
- Live dombra and folk performance — Between bouts you’ll hear solo dombra players, singers and ballads that narrate nomadic life. The music frames the day—sometimes mournful,
- The kokpar matches themselves — Raw, loud and utterly addictive. Teams of horsemen charging, snatching a goat carcass and wrestling it toward goal lines make for high-speed chaos you won’t see anywhere else. The physicality and split-second horsemanship keep the crowd on its feet; it’s the beating heart of the whole event.
- Masterful horsemanship and tack — Riders pick up, throw and steer at full gallop with precision that looks impossible until you see it up close. Traditions show in the saddles, braided manes and riding styles; watching a seasoned rider read a horse is as much a cultural lesson as a sport highlight.
- Live dombra and folk performance — Between bouts you’ll hear solo dombra players, singers and ballads that narrate nomadic life. The music frames the day—sometimes mournful, often rousing—and gives context to why these games matter beyond spectacle.
- Yurt bazaars, crafts and local food — Felt rugs, leather saddles, embroidered hats and simple stalls selling shashlik and kumis turn the sidelines into a tiny open-air market. Eat like the locals, sit on a mat, and the atmosphere becomes part picnic, part cultural crash-course—budget-friendly and endlessly interesting.
- Other nomadic sports and ceremonies — Expect wrestling (kures), sprint horse races, and sometimes eagle-hunting demos or blessing rituals for riders and horses. The variety of events ties modern competition to centuries-old skills, so you get a full picture of Kazakh equestrian culture in one place.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.