The first World Kökbörü Cup is underway in Kyrgyzstan, with teams from six countries competing. The games are being held in the city of Cholpon-Ata, on the shores of Lake Issyk Kul, Turanews.kz reports.
In addition to the host team from Kyrgyzstan, teams from Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and the United States are participating. The games are being organized by the Kyrgyzstan Kökbörü Federation, and are being held at the level of national teams.
The opening ceremony of the games was held on August 14, with President of Kyrgyzstan Sadır Caparov in attendance. In his speech, President Caparov said that the games were an opportunity to showcase Kyrgyzstan’s national sport to the world. He also said that the games would help to promote friendship and cooperation between the participating countries.
The games are being played in a round-robin format, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals. The semi-finals will be held on August 17-18, and the final games will be held on August 20.
The winner of the World Kökbörü Cup will receive a cash prize of $100,000. The second-place team will receive $50,000, and the third-place team will receive $25,000.
The games are being seen as a major opportunity to promote the sport of Kökbörü to the world. Kökbörü is a traditional Kyrgyz sport that is played on horseback. The object of the game is to score points by carrying a goat carcass across the goal line.
The games are being broadcast live on television in Kyrgyzstan, and are also being streamed online. The organizers are hoping that the games will attract a large audience from around the world.
The success of the first World Kökbörü Cup could lead to the sport being included in the Olympic Games in the future.
