Buzkashi

Without a doubt Buzkashi is the strangest “sport” I have ever seen. I was just told it is a sport that is left over from the mongols. That explains the chaotic nature of this.

I didn't fully understand what was going on. This game can be played as 2 teams or each man for himself, I have no idea which one I was watching, I’m guessing each man for himself…?

The day or week before the match a small calf and/or a goat is killed. They take the head off and sew up the hole and soak the body in cold water or brine, to toughen the hide. The carcass is like the ball they use to score with.

Then a bunch of men on completely wild horses run around, scoop up the carcass by hanging off the side of their horse and try to drop it in a white circle. Like in half court basket ball, when the other team attempts they have to drag the goat all the way around the arena around a post to come try to drop it in the circle.

Above is a man, reaching down to grab the goat on the ground. You can see how the horses are yanked around.

There are no rules, as far as I saw. The horses are basically in a massive pushing, kicking and whipping match, they are jumping up on top of each other, everyone is using their whips on other horses and often they also beat the person who has the goat. It is just this wild fight over the carcass. Sometimes two people will get hold of the carcass and they just have a tug of war over it. I felt bad for the horses.

Above picture the man has the goat, he is circling around to the white ring he has to drop it into, you can see it under the other horses who are blocking him.

I don’t know how the game ends, we left early, but I have heard the game can go for days. That has to be one of the strangest things I have seen.