JACKSON HOLE, WYO – Well, it’s that time of year, the World Nomad Games are upon us.
Wait, what?
That’s right, the World Nomad Games, highlighted by a Bedouin version of what amounts to polo with a dead goat called Kok Boru, get underway tomorrow.
If not for the inclusion of a local group calling themselves Team USA Kok Boru, these games taking place a half a world away in Kyrgyzstan might not be a Buckrail-worthy news story. But in this case, we are more than excited to announce a collection of Jackson Hole cowboys, ranchers, bankers, land managers, and entertainers of all sorts just landed in Central Asia to compete …again.
Team USA Kok Boru also participated in the 2016 and 2017 games. Besides being wonderful ambassadors for all that is USA (and Jackson Hole), these competitors actually have to play one of the world’s most dangerous and rugged sports against teams from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Mongolia, China, Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Hungary, and, for the first year ever, France.
The Jackson Hole team consists of 8 men and 2 women invited to compete for the second time by the US Embassy and the Kyrgyz Sport Federation. While their goat-handling skills might be in question, they all ride like true Westerners.
The team’s efforts are supported by Peak Physical Therapy, Mountain Khakis, and The Clear Creek Group. The World Nomad Games take place in Cholpon-Ata, in the Issyk-Kul Province of Kyrgyzstan. This year the game’s motto is “United in Strength! United in Spirit!”
