Buzkashi

Buzkashi is a traditional Central Asian sport in which horse-mounted players attempt to place a goat or calf carcass in a goal. It has been played for over 5000 years and is still played today, primarily in Afghanistan. Similar games are known as kokpar, kupkari, and ulak tartysh in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

Teams consist of 10 riders each. Only five riders from each team are allowed to play in a half. Each half of the game is played for 45 minutes and there is only one break of 15 minutes between the two halves. The game of buzkashi is supervised by a referee.

All over the region, the season for kok boru is winter, say from November until early April. That's when it's not too hot for the horses, and when countryside people have the most free time on their hands. It's a village sport. That's where the best players live and the most authentic games are played.