Baiga is an equestrian sport traditional to the Turkic peoples. In a broader sense, baiga is a complex of sports, which includes horseback riding, shooting and wrestling.
Baiga arose due to the nomadic way of life of the Turkic peoples (Kazakhs, Bashkirs, Tatars, etc.). According to some observations, we can conclude that the formation of this equestrian sport was chaotic and had a local character. This is evidenced by the numerous differences in the sets of rules of this competition in different places.
Baigue – an equestrian sport
Baiga, or Baige (horse racing in the Kazakh culture) as an equestrian sport is a complex of races over long or short distances on a smooth or rugged terrain.
It is widely believed that Baiga is a horse race, but the concept of Baiga is much broader, so we will try to formulate the definition more clearly and identify different types of equestrian events that fall under this definition.
First of all, Baiga is a kind of equestrian sport, in which not only thoroughbreds can participate, but also animals which do not have the qualities of thoroughbreds. To participate in this kind of competition the pedigree of the horse does not play a big role – the animal does not need to have a passport. However, if a horse has a good pedigree and is intended for breeding in the future, a successful performance at the competition is essential for the horse’s future. Moreover, it should be noted that participation in this sport requires great endurance of the horse, therefore thoroughbred horses are usually not allowed to participate in Baiga, because they do not have those qualities, which have traditional Turkic horse breeds, which are more enduring due to their genetic proximity to their wild ancestors.
The baiga consists of:
Alman baiga;
Tai zharys;
Kunan zharys;
Donen zharys;
Zhorga zhorys;
Audaryspak;
Kyz kuu;
Tenge alu;
Kokpar;
Kuryk salu;
Sayys;
Jamby.
When giving this classification of types of equestrian sport competitions, included in the program Baiga, we tried to avoid the common mistakes encountered in a narrower interpretation of Baiga in dictionaries and encyclopedias, and referred to the original works, devoted to this type of equestrian competitions. For a more accurate definition of Baiga as a kind of sport horse races, it is necessary to reveal the basic rules of each of these types of races.
Alman baiga
Speaking about Baiga, most researchers mean Alman Baiga. Alman Baiga is a kind of races on a rough or flat terrain, in which horses over 5 years old take part. The length of the course varies from 9 to 12 km, to infinity: there is a precedent of carrying out Alman Baiga to a distance of 6000 km.
Alman Baiga is a competition on endurance of horses and rider. However, it is not only the horsemen who show their skills in this sport: first of all, the rider – atbegi – takes all the credit for successful participation in the races; the caretaker of the horse – bunker – plays just as important a role. The bapker also trains the horse and the rider. Horse, rider, bapker and atbegi are the four components of success in Alman Baiga.
Tai jarys
Tai jarys is a competition in which children 7-8 years old on two-year-old horses participate.
Tai jarys is an endurance competition that determines a horse’s potential.
Tai jarys is a race over a distance of 5-7 km.
Kunan jarys
Kunan zharys is a short-distance races on three-year old horses, which were held traditionally before the Alman Bayga and were aimed at education of strength of mind of young generation of both horses and riders.
Donen zharys
To participate in Alman Baiga it was necessary to pass Donen Zharys test first. Selected horses from 4 years old participated in the test.
Jorga zhorys.
This is a test of pacing horses at a short distance. The best pacing pony is suzhorga – the one that seems to fly through the air and does not switch to cantering. It is said in Kazakhstan that one can rush on it without spilling koumiss.
Audaryspak
This is a wrestling on the horses of the same weight category (there are only 3 weight categories). The loser is the rider who fell out of the saddle.
Kiz kuu
Kiz kuu is a game to catch up with a bride. This game had and still has an important cultural meaning for the Kazakhs and Kirghiz. During the competition the groom was giving a head start to the bride. Having let the bride go far enough, the groom would rush after her and had to catch up with her before she crossed the line marked by a pole. If the bride was the first to cross the finish line, she would turn around and beat the groom on her way back. This was considered a loss. If the groom lost, the bride had the right to refuse the groom, but if the groom won, he could marry the bride without a ransom for the parents.