Kazakhstan New Year Festival - Horse wrestling, Kokpar and more

Kazakhstan New Year Festival - Nariyz - March 22nd 2009. Shymkent, southern-central Kazakhstan in the valley of the Sayram River in the foothills of the Ugam Range. Goat polo (Kokpar), Kiss Chase (Kyz Kuu) and other traditional games on horseback. Music is the Kazakh National Anthem. It rained all day but this did not ruin the atmosphere and the sheer privilege it was to see the games, eat free Plov (rice dish) and drink tea amongst some of the world’s best horse masters.