Naadam 2005: The Three Manly Sports Machine

I'm sure you all were as glued as I to ESPN Mongolia's 24-hours Three Manly Sports coverage from Ulanbataar. OK, there wasn't any. Although here is the 2005 Naadam Program.

But that does not mean that these sports - cross-country horse racing, wrestling and ARCHERY are not MANLY. Even though women and children also compete (leading to the international scrutiny of kids falling off their horses, covered in the London Times . )

Yak polo, a new sport debuting in late June (pictured above), was not part of the festival.

Sadly, I think. A landlocked nation with the chutzpah to have a marine resgistry should celebrate all it's innovations. This is pretty amazing, really. Who among us has ever considered starting a yak polo league?

Much of the event I don't understand, but definitely like:

The opening ceremony was followed by folk, classical and modern performances and a salute from the Mongolian Everest conquerors and a parade of Mongolian national manufacturers.

Wrestling. One of the main events was wrestling, contested by 512 entrants who included five Titans, three Lions, three Garudas, 16 Elephants, 15 Hawks and 71 Falcons.

This report is from the Mongol Messenger, which also reports that parliment is proposing an award of 500,000 togrogs (or togriks) to newly married couples.



Monoglian archery has some wicked looking bows and costumes - check out the hats, sort of Ghengis AND Mingus. (Charlie, that is.) You'll note to the left that although a very manly sport indeed, only wrestling is actually limited to men.

In wrestling, Osokhbayar, holder of the Avarga title, beat Sumiyabazar. Again. Sheesh.

I like this country. It's sort of trying to be democratic, get art going, keep its heritage, be part of the world again. I seem to remember them shipping North Korean arms around, but that's a far cry from subjugating Eurasia.