The World Nomad Games

Many of the sports are not only unfamiliar to Western visitors, they are downright eye opening. Suddenly, the real Olympics look slightly wussy. Cirit, for instance, originates in Turkey and features two teams on horseback throwing spears at each other, with points awarded for hitting your opponent or his horse. Mas wrestling involves two men fighting over a stick. That might sound a bit primary school playground, but it’s pure, unadulterated man-on-man combat, with contestants sitting on the ground opposite each other, their feet braced against a board between them, heaving on a stick to see who’s strongest. Headless goat polo is the most revered sport, with two teams on horseback competing to throw a headless goat carcass into a goal. In a brilliantly waste-not, want-not move, the winning team gets to barbecue the thoroughly tenderised meat afterwards.

Although a new event – the first Games were held in 2014 – they have become incredibly popular, a glorious celebration that attracts people from all the Stans and further afield, too. Some arrive on horseback, before pitching yurts, donning traditional clothes and settling in to enjoy the competitions, food and fun. The fifth World Nomad Games sees the event return to Kazakhstan in 2024, after the fourth games, held in 2022, were hosted in Iznik, Turkey.

The joy of attending the games is getting to watch both the competitions and the crowds. Stroll around and you’ll see spectators on horseback (or even standing on their horse’s back to get a better view), young Kazak hunters wandering through the crowds with eagles on their arms, someone skinning a goat, tents where banquets of regional food are spread out and the odd camel, too. Wherever you go, you’ll meet hospitable nomads delighted to show off their culture. Food is cheap and plentiful, but as ever, it makes sense to steer towards the vendors with the most local people eating at them.