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What is buzkashi? Here’s how Afghans preserve the centuries-old national game
- Competitors ride their horses as they try to grab onto a goat
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![Buzkashi is a very old game that is played in Afghanistan. Photo: Xinhua](https://cdn.i-scmp.com/sites/default/files/styles/1020x680/public/d8/images/canvas/2024/08/06/fd3f785b-11c9-4301-adee-6f34e051638d_11a702f1.jpg?itok=1x3RWhtN&v=1722918224)
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The sport has many fans among the war-weary people in Afghanistan.
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The sport has many fans among the war-weary people in Afghanistan.
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Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)
Buzkashi is the centuries-old national game of Afghanistan. Competitors ride their horses as they try to grab onto a goat.
Many people in Afghanistan keep horses to compete for the championship and earn renown.
“The horse is a symbol of bravery; it is a loyal animal, and that is why the people of Afghanistan love it,” said Sayed Karim Hashimi, a horse keeper in the northern Balkh province.
Hashimi is the head of a local company Yama Petroleum Group and the chief of its buzkashi team.
As a national game, the buzkashi tournament is held among several provinces, with the annual championship in the national capital, Kabul.
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