Kazakh National Games

+ Tymak Uru

- "Sbyvanie tymaka" is a Kazakh national game in which anyone who can ride a horse can participate. A pole, not exceeding the height of a rider, is placed in the ground and a hat called "tymak" is placed on top. The participant is shown where the "tymak" is, then blindfolded and given a whip. The participant is spun around in place and released with the words: "Now go and knock off the tymak." If the player fails to knock off the tymak in three attempts, they may, with permission, sing a song or perform an improvisation, which grants them another chance to compete. The number of participants is not limited; anyone with a horse can try their luck.

+ Kyz Kuu

- "Kyz kuumai" (chasing the girl) is a national equestrian game in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Boys and girls compete in pairs on crossbreed horses. In the first part of the game, the girl is pursued by the boy, and if he catches her, he can kiss her. In the second part, the roles are reversed, and the girl chases the boy. If she catches him, she hits him with a whip. The race distance is 400-500 meters. At the end of the distance, there is a flag marking a turn-control point. The girl (or the boy in reverse) starts two horse lengths ahead.

+ Kokpar

- In the Kazakh national game Kokpar, riders from neighboring pastures competed. The competition is a test of strength, agility, accuracy, and skill in riding. On the day of the competition, participants and spectators gathered in the field. A sheep carcass was placed 10-20 meters away from the competitors, marking the start of the fight for the Kokpar, which could last until evening.

+ Audaryspak

- "Audaryspak" is a well-known type of Kazakh folk wrestling, a type of mounted wrestling (zhekpe — zhek oyln). In this type of equestrian wrestling, it is allowed to "pull" the opponent only forward and towards oneself, and also to ride ahead of the opponent to block their path. Using whips against each other is prohibited. Selecting the right horse is very important in Audaryspak. According to established norms, short, agile, and strong horses are preferred. In the past, specialists were dedicated to breeding and training such horses. Competitions in Kazakh martial arts, games, and contests were usually held during traditional holidays, as well as family celebrations. They could also be organized during leisure time, simply by issuing a challenge: "Come on, let's see who is stronger?" Training in Audaryspak began in childhood. A Kazakh boy was taught to ride very early on. His first wrestles were conducted mounted on foals, sheep, or young bulls. Diverse games also held great practical value, such as "jaya audaryspak," where a partner played the role of the horse. For young riders, training primarily involved numerous competitions and duels to settle disputes.

+ Baiga

- Players in pairs (horse and rider) line up at the start so as not to interfere with each other. The first player — the horse — pulls their hands back and down, and the second — the rider — grabs their hands, and in this position, the pair runs to the finish line. The rider, who reaches the finish line first, must jump up and grab the decorative scarf hanging from a post.

+ Tuyme Alu

- Start and finish lines are marked on opposite sides of the playing area. A large number of coins (or stones) are spread across the area. The players line up along the starting line. At the signal, riders begin racing — moving towards the finish line, simulating a horse race. During the race, riders bend down without stopping to pick up the coins. The winner is the one who collects the most coins during the race.

+ Alaman Baige

- The Kazakh national game "Alaman Baige" not only tests the riders’ skills to stay in the saddle, but it is primarily a test for the horses. Alaman Baige is an equestrian contest, with races over long and super long distances. The historic roots of this game lie in the necessity for the Kazakhs to prepare horses for long migrations, as well as selecting the most resilient and strong horses to improve the breed. Over time, Alaman Baige became an integral part of large celebrations. Sometimes during such competitions, some horses could not endure the stress and died before reaching the finish line or fell from exhaustion, breaking their legs. It is known that riders, before the races, to protect their horses from evil eyes would braid their tails and manes into plaits, interweaving them with owl feathers or amulets, and also tried not to show the horse to anyone, keeping it under a cover.

+ Aksyuek

- Participants form a line. The leader takes a white bone (a rubber ball, wooden key, carved sticks, etc. can be used) and chants: "White bone — symbol of happiness, key, Fly to the moon, To the white snowy peaks! Clever and lucky is the one, Who finds you in a moment!" Then the leader throws the bone behind the players' line. At this moment, no one should look back to see where the bone flies. When the bone falls, the leader announces: "Seek the bone — You'll find happiness soon! And the one who finds it, Must be the fastest and clever!" The objective is to quickly find the bone and discreetly bring it back to the leader. If the children notice, they chase the player, tapping them lightly on the shoulder to take the bone and then run to the leader as well. To remain unnoticed and bring the bone to the leader without hindrance, one can employ cunning and resourcefulness. A player might pretend they can’t find the bone, walk to the leader, distracting their opponents in various ways (e.g., loudly pointing to another player, claiming they have the bone, etc.). If a player finds the bone, they are considered lucky, and the whole group or one from it fulfills their wish: sings songs, recites poems, mimics animal voices.

+ Oramal

- The leader gives a tied scarf to one of the participants. The players form a circle around the leader. On the leader's command "One, two, three!" all participants scatter. The leader must catch the player with the scarf, touch their shoulder, and take the scarf. During the chase, the player with the scarf can pass it to a teammate, who can pass it to another, and so on. If the leader catches the player with the scarf, that player must fulfill any of the leader's wishes: sing a song, recite a poem, etc. After this, they become the leader.

+ Asau Mastek

- Each player sits on a special structure called "asau mastek" and tries to pick up as many skullcaps from the ground as possible without losing balance.

Nomadic Games

+ Alysh

- Belt wrestling (known in Russia until the mid-20th century as “Swiss wrestling” and “Russian-Swiss wrestling”) is an ancient form of wrestling where two belted wrestlers compete in a standing position. Competitors stay interconnected during the match, holding each other by the belt, with each trying to throw the other to win.

+ Salbuurun (Hunting)

- A complex set of hunting games with birds of prey and hounds conducted in Kyrgyzstan. It includes falconry, archery, and hunting with a taigan. It is one of the disciplines of the World Nomad Games. Salbuurun comes from a nomadic tradition of hunting and protecting herds from predators like wolves.

+ Togyz Kumalak

- A Kazakh traditional logic board game with 18 game pits and two storage pits. The game belongs to the mancala family, which includes games like wari or kalah. The game is based on the number 9 (nine game pits, each initially containing nine balls), considered sacred by Turkic and Mongol peoples. It develops mathematical thinking and teaches patience. For its ability to improve mental arithmetic, it is also called "the algebra of herders." A game can last four to five hours. During the match, opponents must use all four basic arithmetic operations. The game is based not only on the speed of calculation but also on tactics.

+ Horse Racing

- Horse racing involves competitive events where generally two or more horses, often led by jockeys (or sometimes without riders), compete over a set distance. Horse racing is one of the oldest competitive sports as its primary premise — to determine which horse is the fastest over a set course or distance — remains unchanged since ancient times.

+ Kokpar

- In the Kazakh national game kokpar, riders from neighboring pasture lands competed. This contest was a test of strength, agility, accuracy, and skill in horseback riding. On the day of the competition, all participants and spectators gathered in the field. The carcass of a sheep was thrown between competitors at a distance of 10-20 meters, marking the start of the struggle for kokpar, which could last until evening.

+ Ordo

- Initially, the game ordo was used to prepare warriors. The word "ordo" means "khan's palace" or "khan's headquarters," and the game represents a military map, with which players must overthrow the khan. A large circle drawn on the ground symbolizes the borders of the khanate, and a large vertebra in the middle represents the khan. Grouping into two teams, players strategize and, throwing bones, try to overthrow the khan. Ordo is played not only at the World Nomad Games but throughout Kyrgyzstan, especially during large celebrations.