Published: September 4, 2026 9:21 am
Author: RT
Thousands of participants have gathered in Kyrgyzstan for competitions ranging from horseback wrestling to eagle hunting
Horsemen, wrestlers, and archers are testing their strength and skill against the spectacular backdrop of Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan, where the sixth World Nomad Games are in full swing.
Competitors from 90 countries are taking part in 43 disciplines rooted in nomadic traditions, ranging from eagle hunting, horseback wrestling, and archery to tug-of-war and traditional intellectual games.
Horses take center stage in many of the events of the Games, which run through September 6.
In ‘er enish’ (horseback wrestling), two mounted wrestlers try to drag each other from the saddle, while ‘tyiyn enmei’ (coin picking) requires riders to lean almost to the ground at full gallop to pick up an object.
Another gold for Kyrgyzstan in Er Enish (horseback wrestling) at the World Nomad Games! 🇰🇬🥇 pic.twitter.com/WO5uglfgtX
— Samat (@samat_awa) September 3, 2026
Then there is ‘kok-boru’ (gray wolf), perhaps the games’ most famous spectacle, in which two teams on horseback fight for possession of a goat carcass and attempt to carry it to the opposing side’s goal.
Highlights from Day 1 of the VI World Nomad Games.
The Kyrgyz Kök Börü team defeated Team USA in a very intense game.
🇺🇸 Lad Howell won the hearts of the Kyrgyz crowd with his true warrior spirit. pic.twitter.com/FzwAmJQjJ3
— Samat (@samat_awa) September 2, 2026
Traditional hunting is represented by ‘salbuurun’, featuring golden eagles, other birds of prey, and hunting dogs. Archery, horse racing, and numerous forms of traditional wrestling are also on the program.
Iran’s four-member tug-of-war team finished runner-up at the Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan. pic.twitter.com/eAe83P3qhV
— Alireza Akbari (@itsalireza_akb) September 3, 2026
Team GB’s female riders took on horseback archery at the World Nomad Games in Kyrchyn Gorge, firing from the saddle against a dramatic mountain backdrop https://t.co/ad3MEBkNH6 @StephenMBland pic.twitter.com/JwpFF2Fi7r
— The Times of Central Asia (@thetimesoca) September 3, 2026
People coming to the World Nomad Games also get to try traditional Turkic sports themselves.
Like this one.
Two people, one wooden board, one stick. Basically, whoever can’t pull the other guy over loses. pic.twitter.com/cCVvPBNYQl
— Daily Turkic (@DailyTurkic) September 2, 2026
The games are about more than sport. Yurts, national costumes, crafts, music, and food have transformed the venues into a showcase of nomadic culture.
The event grew out of efforts in Kyrgyzstan in the 2000s to preserve traditional games whose rules risked disappearing as older generations died. The initiative was later recognized by UNESCO as a good practice for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.
First staged in Kyrgyzstan in 2014, the World Nomad Games have since traveled to Türkiye and Kazakhstan before returning to their birthplace this year. What began as a regional effort to keep old traditions alive has grown into an international celebration of nomadic culture.
