Nasriddin Hissor, a five-time Soviet buzkashi champion, rides out of the fray with the buz.
Popular throughout much of Central Asia, buzkashi is a form of horse polo in which players wrestle the ‘buz’ (a goat carcass) across a playing field. Believed to have its origins as a defence tactic against Genghis Khan’s livestock-snatching Mongols, the game is played with few rules and no teams – every man fights for himself. Unlike many other sports, however, senior players with the most experience are often the best and most respected. Many urbanites in Tajikistan dismiss the sport as coarse and atavistic, but its popularity remains and the horses are highly prized. ‘It’s daft, an expensive folly, but it’s our national game,’ explains veteran player Kurshed.
