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World Nomad Games

Inside a Universe of Culture at the World Nomad Games

Of all the sites at the 6th World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan, the “Universe of Nomads” ethno-town is arguably the most interesting. Its setting is Kyrchyn jailoo, a large summer pasture in Semenov Gorge, where the forested slopes of the Kungey Ala-Too Mountains rise around it. The location feels far removed from the largely sports-specific venues in Cholpon-Ata, including the Kok Boru Arena, the Hippodrome, and the Gazprom Sports and Recreation Complex. Getting there takes around an hour from Cholpon-Ata on marshrutkas, minivans used as tourist shuttles, and the journey is often chaotic, with passengers packed head-to-hip. Those who make the journey find stunning scenery, an abundance of culture, and indeed sport, including some of the event’s more unusual tournaments. Among them is spine-bone breaking, a very literal nomadic sport in which competitors use their bare hands to break apart cattle spinal bones with a single strike. Other sports at the ethno-town range from Kyrgyz-style mounted archery and Turkish-style archery to golden eagle hunting and races featuring taigans, a breed of sighthound from Kyrgyzstan. The pure spectacle and traditional regalia keep visitors enthralled, as does the sheer number of animals with which they can pose for photographs. Built partly from clay and modeled on the fortifications of a medieval Central Asian shahristan, or walled inner city, the walls enclose two large spaces. The Ethno Bazaar combines souvenirs and crafts with regular street performances featuring comedy, clowns, acrobatics, and traditional music, while the Nomadic Cuisine area offers samples of national dishes on a try-before-you-buy basis. For Western tourists so inclined, the few vegetarian options include kattama, a layered, flaky flatbread made with onion and accompanied by sour cream, and boorsok, small pieces of deep-fried dough. The practical difficulties of the ethno-town come with the territory. Visitors reluctant to navigate the uneven ground and muddy slopes on foot can hire a “horse taxi” from the scrum of young men and boys on horseback looking for business. At the muddy squat-toilet setups dotted around the site, women clamber into the comparatively empty men’s facilities next door, where a smattering of men merely shrug when faced with the laughing female stampede. The sprawling site features around 500 traditional yurts organized into regional sections such as Issyk-Kul, Bishkek, Osh, and Naryn. Clusters on the outskirts appear to be used for their traditional purpose as temporary homes for sellers and exhibitors, since hotels and other accommodation are far from the site. [video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://timesca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/WhatsApp-Video-2026-09-04-at-18.24.43.mp4"][/video] Further afield, on the main stage and in a clearing beside the thematic and cultural-exchange yurts, dramatic theater, nomadic music, improvised poetry (aitysh), contemporary music threaded with history, and dancers twirling in brightly colored costumes follow one another in a hypnotically dizzying procession. [video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://timesca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/WhatsApp-Video-2026-09-04-at-18.24.25.mp4"][/video] Among those taking part are members of Yr Kerben, or “Song Caravan,” a cultural project that brings together women from Kyrgyzstan’s seven regions. Known as the ak elechek apalary, or “mothers in white elecheks,” they promote a headdress traditionally associated with married women, with...

World Nomad Games

Britain’s Horseback Archers Ride Into Kyrchyn at the World Nomad Games

At Kyrchyn Gorge on Thursday, a British rider released an arrow at a target from horseback as her steed carried her between the course markers, with the green slopes of the Tian Shan rising behind the World Nomad Games venue. Horseback archery brings the two disciplines together in a single run. Riders must control the horse while nocking, drawing, and releasing arrows at targets as they move down the track. The official Kyrgyz-style rules require the horse to remain in motion throughout the run. [video width="1024" height="576" mp4="https://timesca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/This-one.mp4"][/video] The Games use two horseback archery formats. In the Kyrgyz style, riders race along a 100-meter track and shoot at small targets while keeping the horse moving. The Hungarian, or Magyar, style changes the challenge: riders pass a central tower carrying targets that can be shot repeatedly as the angle changes. Speed therefore counts alongside accuracy, but riders must also adapt to a horse they may have known for only a short time. [caption id="attachment_55346" align="aligncenter" width="1774"] Image: TCA, Stephen M. Bland[/caption] The venue is part of the spectacle. Beyond the course, a newly built clay fortress rises from Kyrchyn like a Silk Road settlement. It forms part of the Games’ “Universe of Nomads” ethno-town. Its buildings draw on regional architecture dating from the Middle Ages and were constructed with natural materials including soil, clay, and stone. [caption id="attachment_55352" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] Image: TCA, Stephen M. Bland[/caption] Inside the walls, visitors crowded around long tables and food stalls beneath traditional textiles as vendors bustled. Outside, rows of white yurts spread across the verdant valley floor. Golden eagles and falcons pealed nearby, as Kyrchyn is also hosting the Games’ traditional hunting with birds and other events. [caption id="attachment_55351" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] Image: TCA, Stephen M. Bland[/caption] In the gorge, the boundaries between competition and cultural festival largely disappear, with sport unfolding inside a temporary nomadic settlement rather than around a conventional arena. [caption id="attachment_55347" align="aligncenter" width="1774"] Image: TCA, Stephen M. Bland[/caption] Among the British riders competing at Kyrchyn are Becca Sweetman and Kristina Schapiro. TCA spoke with them after Thursday’s Kyrgyz-style runs. TCA: Is this a sport you have been doing for some time back home? Becca Sweetman: We’ve both been doing it for about eight years and competing for the British team for more than four years. TCA: How did it go today? Becca Sweetman: It’s a challenging competition because you have to change horses for every single run, which we don’t do at any other international competition. Kristina had a few amazing runs, and she’s currently in second place. Half the competition is done, so we’ll see how it continues. I managed to hit some targets, which is always good. [caption id="attachment_55349" align="aligncenter" width="1600"] Image: Mae Pollard[/caption] TCA: Have you been to the World Nomad Games before, and what has your general impression been? Kristina Schapiro: It’s our first time competing in horseback archery at the World Nomad Games. It’s a little disorganized, but it’s an incredible experience. At the opening ceremony, I...

Central Asia-U.S. Relations

In Bishkek, Gor and Daines Put Business First

U.S. Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor and U.S. Senator Steve Daines used their visit to Bishkek this week to put business squarely at the center of Washington's engagement with Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia, with discussions focused on investment, trade, infrastructure and practical steps for turning ideas into deals. Gor and Daines arrived for the opening of the World Nomad Games to cheer on the U.S. team, a visit that coincided with the SCO Summit on its 25th anniversary. The Games were only part of the visit. Much of the agenda focused on economic engagement. They were accompanied by Bethany Morrison, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia at the U.S. Department of State. “Called on President Zhaparov today in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic,” Gor tweeted. “Many great opportunities for our two nations to work together. We look forward to welcoming President Zhaparov to the United States next month to further advance our growing partnership.” U.S. officials met President Sadyr Japarov on Aug. 31 and held separate talks in Bishkek with Economy and Commerce Minister Sydykov and other officials. Edil Baisalov, Kyrgyz Ambassador to the U.S., accompanied the delegation to their meetings with Kyrgyz officials. Their Bishkek schedule also included meetings with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon. Discussions with Kyrgyz officials covered steps needed to advance different types of projects, opportunities for business-to-business cooperation and ways to connect U.S. companies with projects and partners in Kyrgyzstan and the wider region. Mining was among the sectors in focus, as expected, alongside infrastructure, energy, technology and trade. The discussions focused on identifying viable projects, connecting companies and resolving financing and implementation issues. [caption id="attachment_55339" align="aligncenter" width="690"] Daines and Gor. Image: https://x.com/USAmbIndia/status/2094364843390476459[/caption] More than Business The agenda was overwhelmingly commercial, though not exclusively, as Gor himself tweeted: “A very productive meeting with President Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan. We discussed ongoing cooperation in energy, commerce, and building more robust security ties between our nations. Looking forward to big announcements soon between the U.S. and Uzbekistan.” Or consider this tweet: “Pleased to meet with Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon. Together, the U.S. and Tajikistan are growing our commercial engagement, expanding our health cooperation, and strengthening security and counterterrorism cooperation.” Gor mentioned “security cooperation” with Kazakhstan as well. The latest visit builds on an economic agenda already being developed through the B5+1 business forum, which Gor attended in Bishkek earlier this year. The forum brought together businesses and government officials from the United States and the five Central Asian states, with an emphasis on investment, market access and reducing obstacles to private-sector activity. The discussions in Bishkek also touched on the next C5+1 summit, the U.S.-Central Asian leaders' format involving Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Kyrgyzstan offered to host the next summit in Bishkek. [caption id="attachment_55340" align="aligncenter" width="622"] L/R – Bethany Morrison, Daines, Gor, US Amb Lesslie Viguerie. Image: https://x.com/USAmbIndia/status/2094303173481844848[/caption] For Daines, the visit extended work he has been pursuing on Capitol Hill as chairman...

Central Asia - Iran Relations

Renewed U.S.-Iran Escalation: What It Means for Central Asia

The United States and Iran have exchanged their heaviest barrage since July, ending several weeks in which both sides had largely held their fire. Washington struck military targets along Iran’s southern coast, while Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks on U.S. assets in Kuwait, Jordan, Bahrain, and Iraq. For Central Asia, the renewed escalation creates risks on several fronts, from oil prices to transport corridors through the Persian Gulf. All five countries in the region are likely to feel the economic effects in one way or another, although for some, those effects may initially come wrapped in gift paper. Kazakhstan: Expensive Oil That Is Hard to Sell Brent crude was trading at about $97 a barrel on September 3. The oil market remains highly volatile, with further price movements likely to depend heavily on developments surrounding Iran and shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. In theory, Kazakhstan could benefit from higher oil prices. In practice, existing logistical constraints substantially limit that opportunity. Ukrainian attacks affecting the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) have contributed to production cuts, while Kazakhstan’s shipments through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline remain far too small to compensate for a major disruption to the CPC. In other words, Kazakhstan risks missing out on another oil price surge. At the same time, Iran is important to Kazakhstan’s transport strategy. On June 16, while a ceasefire between Washington and Tehran was still in effect, Kazakhstan moved to advance its transport and trade plans through Iran. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin met an Iranian delegation headed by Minister of Roads and Urban Development Farzaneh Sadegh. Kazakhstan-Iran trade increased by 26.4% in 2025 to $430.2 million, with the two countries aiming eventually to raise bilateral trade to $3 billion. A central topic in the talks was the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), where freight volumes increased by 12% in 2025 to 3.5 million tons. Rail freight between the two countries rose by 69%. The two sides agreed to modernize transport infrastructure with the goal of increasing the corridor’s capacity to 20 million tons annually. Iran also completed arrangements to allocate Kazakhstan a land plot at Shahid Rajaee Port in Bandar Abbas and confirmed its readiness to provide access to Chabahar Port, offering connections to markets in South and Southeast Asia. On June 28, Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization hosted a ceremony to sign a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) agreement allocating land at Shahid Rajaee Port in Bandar Abbas for the construction of a Kazakh transport and logistics terminal. Kazakhstan, in other words, tried to use the lull in the U.S.-Iran conflict to advance a route of its own that does not depend on Russia, China, or Turkey. Much of that effort, however, depends on an end to hostilities in the region. Tajikistan: Fuel That Is Hard to Buy On August 15, Tajikistan turned to Iran for assistance. At talks in Tehran with Farzaneh Sadegh, Iran’s minister of roads and urban development, Tajik Transport Minister Azim Ibrohim said more than 80%...

World Nomad Games

Kyrgyzstan Beats United States 16-7 as Kok Boru Opens at World Nomad Games

Two years after Kazakhstan beat Team USA in Astana, the Americans again faced a World Nomad Games host in kok boru. Kyrgyzstan won 16–7 at the Cholpon-Ata Kok Boru Arena on Wednesday, but the U.S. riders were a markedly different proposition from the side that failed to score in 2024. Kok boru, whose name means “gray wolf,” occupies a special place in Kyrgyz culture. UNESCO added it to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017, recognizing its place in the country’s cultural identity, while the arena commentator repeatedly described the sport as a point of national pride. Tradition traces the game to mounted hunters fighting for possession of a wolf killed while protecting livestock, an old practice later developed into a team contest. The modern game uses a prepared headless goat carcass, which a rider must carry across the field and get into the opposing tai kazan, the raised circular goal at either end. Kyrgyzstan restored the real carcass for these Games after Kazakhstan used a synthetic rubber serke in Astana, making the object’s weight and bulk unmistakable whenever a rider leaned almost to the sand to seize it. Under the current rules, four riders from each team compete on the field during three 15-minute periods. The carcass normally weighs 30–32 kilograms, and although riders may press one another with their bodies or use their horses to nudge for position, striking is prohibited. [video width="848" height="478" mp4="https://timesca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/WhatsApp-Video-2026-09-02-at-21.55.39.mp4"][/video] Team USA started strongly, trading scores with Kyrgyzstan early and holding its own in the scrums for possession. Horses pressed flank to flank in what could look like an impossible embrace as riders bent low into the crush. When one came free with the goat held against the saddle, the tangle opened immediately into a gallop toward the tai kazan. Nurzhan Melisbek uulu opened the scoring for Kyrgyzstan after just 23 seconds, but Team USA answered and kept the opening exchanges close. By the middle of the first period, Kyrgyzstan had begun finding more openings and closed it 7–2. During the first break, Ennio Morricone’s theme from Sergio Leone’s A Fistful of Dollars played over the speakers in what appeared to be a nod to the American cowboys. The Americans returned to the field with renewed energy and scored almost immediately, with the board soon showing 8–3. Kyrgyzstan did not loosen its grip for long, but neither did the second period become the one-way procession seen in Astana. The hosts added five points to the Americans’ three, taking the cumulative score to 12–5. During the second period, U.S. No. 33 Zanen Pitts fell from his horse but quickly recovered. No. 2 Nick Willert was also back with Team USA, two years after explaining in a 2024 interview with The Times of Central Asia that the Americans combined techniques learned from Central Asian players with Western horsemanship. Finding suitable horses and having enough time to become familiar with them, he said, had always been a major difficulty for the team. Kyrgyzstan controlled...

World Nomad Games

Bruised but Unbowed: Former TCA Editor Takes on Alysh at World Nomad Games

For Jonathan Campion, a journalist and contributor to The Times of Central Asia, months of anticipation and two weeks of hurried training ended rather more quickly than expected at the World Nomad Games in Cholpon Ata. Inside the airless Gazprom sports complex on Wednesday, the stands were packed to the rafters as wrestlers competed in Alysh, the traditional Kyrgyz form of belt wrestling. Representing Great Britain, Campion entered both the classic and freestyle competitions. [caption id="attachment_55245" align="aligncenter" width="1774"] Image: TCA[/caption] The rules leave little room for retreat. Wrestlers remain standing and must keep hold of their opponent’s belt while trying to throw them onto their back. In classic Alysh, wrestlers cannot actively use their legs against an opponent, while freestyle allows trips and other leg techniques. The sport is one of Kyrgyzstan’s oldest traditional forms of wrestling, according to the official rules. Wearing the green jacket, white trousers, and red belt prescribed by the sport, Campion found himself locked chest-to-chest with opponents who had considerably more experience. His first bout, against a Belarusian wrestler, lasted four seconds. His second, against an Afghan opponent, was shorter still. Bruised but unbowed after his introduction to competitive Alysh, Campion spoke to The Times of Central Asia about why he entered the Games, what two weeks of preparation could and could not teach him, and what it felt like to march into the opening ceremony as a member of the Great Britain team. [video width="640" height="364" mp4="https://timesca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/1fa1b61d-7341-413f-9474-d31b5d4ab6e0.mp4"][/video] TCA: Why did you decide to compete in Alysh at the World Nomad Games? Jonathan Campion: I’ve been to Central Asia a lot, especially Kyrgyzstan. Whenever I’ve been here, people have always wanted to learn about my culture. They’ve wanted to speak in my language and talk to me about the Beatles and English football. I’ve always felt a little ashamed and embarrassed that British people may not even know where Kyrgyzstan is, and certainly don’t know anything about its culture. I love sport, and I thought a good way to become closer to Kyrgyz culture, and to show people that British people can also take an interest in Kyrgyz culture, would be to participate in these Games. [caption id="attachment_55242" align="aligncenter" width="1774"] Image: TCA[/caption] TCA: Because you’d never done this before, how did you find the training, and how were your matches? Jonathan Campion: Before my first fight today, it had only been about two weeks since I really began practicing. I was lucky to find an amazing martial arts teacher in Norwich, where I live, who did absolutely everything he could with me, using his knowledge of judo, taekwondo, and other martial arts. I feel he got me to a point where I had prepared as much as I physically could. But nothing can prepare you for standing on the mat with a very strong opponent opposite you in a real fight. TCA: Who did you fight, and what were the scores today? Jonathan Campion: This morning I fought in the Alysh classic-style tournament. I was...