AZERBAIJAN: Ancient form of polo making a come-back in ex-Soviet Azerbaijan

Record ID: 218350

  • Title: AZERBAIJAN: Ancient form of polo making a come-back in ex-Soviet Azerbaijan
  • Date: 30th June 2006
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Azerbaijani) LEATHER CRAFTSMAN, AIDYN MAMEDOV, SAYING: "I've been in this business for 30 years. Whatever a horse needs - bridle, saddle, whip (lists more) - I can make it."
  • Embargoed: 15th July 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Azerbaijan
  • Country: Azerbaijan
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA77EUVKJ3OG8I6BBYA2OXJ2KGG
  • Story Text: The players thundering down this pitch in Azerbaijan may be on horseback and waving wooden sticks, but don't expect to see members of the British royalty at this polo match, and the crowds on the sidelines won't be knocking back champagne.
    In Azerbaijan, the traditional game of Chovgan is an ancient precursor to modern polo. Now, the sport is being resurrected in small communities across the country, and young men can be seen competing for cheering crowds in villages like Uchtepe.
    The game has been played for thousands of years, originally by local nomadic tribes whose warriors would use the game to hone their skills on horseback.
    After the collapse of the Soviet Union the game all but disappeared, but now young players like Abulfaz Gasymov are hoping to bring back a sport which they say is both tough and exciting.
    "The task is to hit the ball through your opponents' gates with the stick. It demands a lot of physical strength and skill. You also have to be a virtuoso horse rider," he said.
    Local leather craftsman Aidyn Mamadov has spent decades making the intricately decorated saddles, bridles and whips used to play the game.
    He says that more and more people are coming to him as the game is becoming popular again.
    "I've been in this business for 30 years. Whatever a horse needs - bridle, saddle, whip - I can make it," he said as he proudly showed off his handiwork.
    His customers are people like Elmaddin Namazov, who is the proud owner of a Kharrabakh horse - the breed Azerbaijan is famous for.
    In a country where the horse is a traditional symbol for strength, honour and power, he said he would not swap his Kharrabakh for all the money in the world.
    "The horse is a loyal animal, a friend. It is a beautiful animal."
    A frequent visitor to Uchtepe is pensioner Fikret Guseimov, a former star of the national Chovgan team, and an avid supporter of the game's renaissance.
    He comes to teach new young players the tricks of the game and to referee matches between local teams.
    "Between 1961 and 1985 the Azerbaijan polo team were All Union champions several times in the horse games. I was one of the founding members of that team, and I was very active in the team. In 1988 everything fell apart, but I'm sure that the games will be brought back again in the future," he said.
    He won't have to wait too long. There are plans for a CIS-wide horse games championship is September, so Uchtepe's young rising stars could have a chance to reclaim their country's title sooner than they think.
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