The game of kok-boru is not only a popular sport in Kyrgyzstan, it is part of the national culture. Last year, kok-boru was included in the UNESCO list of intangible heritage. Two teams of 12 riders - dzhigits - participate in kok-boru, whose task is to take a goat carcass from each other and stuff it into a cauldron.

If we compare the game to modern sports, it resembles something between rugby and horse polo. Players charge into a crowd of opponents at full gallop, trying to knock the riders out of their saddles.

In the heat of the moment, some players may crash into a fence with spectators scattering to escape the horses. The game is traumatic for both humans and horses. Players wear only fur-lined hats and sometimes shin guards for protection. But it is prestigious to participate in kok-boru, so families are proud to send their children to compete. The game is as exciting and popular as the World Cup - there are no seats in the stands, and people climb the roof, the fence, and the nearest trees to watch the field. After the game, everyone leaves peacefully and talks for a long time about memorable moments.

Kok-boru is played at any time of the year, but unofficially the first big games are held during Navruz, the ancient Turkic spring festival. The spring championship attracts teams from all regions of Kyrgyzstan. Each Kyrgyz village has about 30 boys and adult men who play kok-boru several times a month in their fields and organize regional championships in local hippodromes.