Baige Horse-Racing Championship Celebrates Ancient Kazakh Way Of Life

The helmet of a jockey comes loose as he competes during the Baige Championships in Almaty on October 10.

The popular Kazakh horse-racing event comprises several types of competition, including long- and middle-distance contests as well as cross-country races. 
 

The final competition brought together dozens of jockeys -- winners of the qualifying stages -- from all over the country to compete for trophies as well as cash prizes.

Horse racing along the steppes was an essential part of the nomadic way of life that Kazakh culture has developed over millennia. "Baige," the Kazakh term for "horse race," roughly translates as "galloping" in English.

The Baige Championship was held at the Almaty Hippodrome, which was established in 1930 as a center for testing pedigree horses of riding breeds.

Horse racing and equestrian games served not only as a form of entertainment but also as a means to enhance riders' strength, agility, and dexterity in their handling of horses. These activities are essential for fostering strong bonds between often young riders and their trusted steeds.


 

For those who could not get into the stands, large screens were installed outside the track so that they too could watch the races.

The races on October 10 had various classifications, such as short distances (Baige) and long distances (Alaman Baige), which can reach up to an exhaustive 100 kilometers.


 

The hippodrome stands teemed with spectators.

 

Many of the race contestants are children. whose lighter weight enables the horses to run faster.

Traditionally, the riders' costume was a white shirt and a red kerchief tied to their heads. 

 

Zhorga Zharys is one of the most difficult types of competition. Horses, while running, must first push off with the right front and right hind legs at the same time, and then in the same way with the left front leg and the left hind leg. If a horse breaks stride during a race, the rider receives a penalty. Four penalties result in disqualification.

Fans who were unable to get inside crowded the gates and thronged the sidelines of the outside track to catch a glimpse.

In addition to a trophy, this young winner took home eight million tenge (roughly $15,000).

As horses thunder down the track, spectators capture the races on their mobile phones.

Young competitors race to reach the finish line first.

After competing and taking first place in a race for 2-year-old horses, 11-year-old Arnat Muratkhan, who is regarded as one of Kazakhstan's top equestrian competitors, is given a congratulatory pat on the head.

A traditionally dressed Kazakh woman holds a presentation trophy before it is awarded to a jockey on the winners' podium.