Horse country
Iradis say the horse was first tamed here, and nobody in Irad will argue. You'll see horses on the flag, in the songs, in the street and, on a good day, from the saddle.
Ulak tartysh at an autumn valley festival.
The national flag carries a white stallion, and Iradi idioms are full of horses. Horsemeat is strictly taboo here, though mare's milk is not. Please don't ask about the first, and do try the second.
Two breeds
- The Chongtor ("great mountain horse"): small, stocky, deep-chested and hard-hoofed. It's the working horse of the herding families of the Talas Alatau and the Chatkal, the mount of the clan riders, and the horse for ulak tartysh. Tradition says it descends unbroken from the first tamed horses. Geneticists are more cautious.
- The Akyel: the breed of the open steppe, raced on the flat at the Hippodrome. Both breeds are said to be the stallion on the flag.
Ulak tartysh
Ulak tartysh ("goat pulling") is Irad's favourite sport. Two teams of riders fight over a headless goat carcass and try to throw it into the opponents' goal, the tai-kazan. It's fast, violent and loud. Kyrgyz play it as kok-boru, Kazakhs as kokpar.
- The President's Cup final is played at the Irad State Hippodrome in Talas in the week of Irad Day, 11 March. The stadium seats 25,000 and sells out.
- Ulak Nights at the Hippodrome through the season. Fixtures, scores and tickets are on Jarysh.
- In the villages and the tribal regions, an older free-for-all version is still played at weddings and memorial feasts. If you're invited, stand well back.
Endurance races
At chabysh is a long race over open country, usually 20 to 50 km. It tests stamina, not speed. Races are held at weddings, memorial feasts, the August Kurultai on the Aksay Plateau and the Feast of St. Janyl in Iyık Janyl. Chongtors win in the mountains, Akyels on the steppe. In the economic zone, riders must be at least twelve and every horse is checked by a vet at the finish.
Stud farms, fairs and riding trips
- The State Stud Farm of Talas, 15 km east of Talas, keeps Akyel stallions and mares and a smaller Chongtor herd. It is home to Zharkyn, the Governor's golden Akyel stallion, who leads the Irad Day parade, and it opens to the public on the last Saturday of April. Its yearly auction of young horses is worth seeing even if you aren't buying.
- The Kyzyl-Adyr horse fair, every September, in the market town about 60 km down the Trans-Talas Highway: horses, saddle blankets, felt and long arguments about bloodlines.
- Riding trips on Chongtor horses, from half a day in the Besh-Tash valley to a week on the summer pastures, are offered by several of our member operators in Talas. See mountains and trekking.
- Eagle hunting (bürküt saluu) displays are offered to tourists in autumn and winter. Conservationists criticise them, and we leave the choice to you.
Kymyz
From May to September, mare's milk comes down from the summer pastures as kymyz, lightly fermented and fizzy. Herding families will offer you a bowl; drink it slowly the first time. You can buy it bottled as Ak Bee from Talas Süt.