Last week I arrived in Bishkek just in time to celebrate Kyrgyzstan’s Independence Day, the day the country declared freedom from the Soviet Union. The entire city seemed to be pulsating with energy with carnivals and street parties taking place all over the city. Of all the events that was happening, the exciting one of all was the horse races, Central Asia’s favorite sport. Throughout the day, locals gathered at the Hippodrome to bet on the horses and cheer for their favorite jockey.
The atmosphere at the Ak Kula Hippodrome was infectious and crowd was roaring. I was shocked to see just how young the jockeys were — most of them looked barely 10 years old. Another thing that surprised me was that the spectators were only men, but they didn’t make me feel unwelcomed at all. In fact, the policemen were more than happy to give me the front-row seat for a better view, they chatted with me and even posed for photos. People I spoke to didn’t understand me but responded with sign language and plenty of smiles. It was the interaction with locals that I loved more so than the horse race itself.
It was such a privilege to be in Kyrgyzstan for this special occasion. Here are some of the photos I shot at the horse races – hope they give you a sense of the atmosphere there.
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Dashing towards the finishing line
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Competing to be the annual horseracing champion
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Look at how young the jockeys are
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Looking back
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The champion of the round – he’s probably no more than 1o years old!
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The friendly policemen who chatted with me and made me feel welcomed
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Spectators looking all serious and engrossed in the race
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Smiling for the camera
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Another happy spectator waving to me
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The heat was overwhelming
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Go go go!
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