Mongolia and the Naadam Festival (20 images)

Known as "the land of blue skies" by its inhabitants, Mongolia hosts the Naadam Festival every year in July or August over a 3 day period. It is the biggest festival of the year in Mongolia. It highlights the greatest athletes in horse racing, archery and wrestling.
Young riders aged 5 to 13 race through the open steppe over distances reaching 30 km, wearing colourful clothes and headgear. The winning horses are much prized.
Archers wearing traditional silk costumes aim...
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Known as "the land of blue skies" by its inhabitants, Mongolia hosts the Naadam Festival every year in July or August over a 3 day period. It is the biggest festival of the year in Mongolia. It highlights the greatest athletes in horse racing, archery and wrestling.
Young riders aged 5 to 13 race through the open steppe over distances reaching 30 km, wearing colourful clothes and headgear. The winning horses are much prized.
Archers wearing traditional silk costumes aim at targets up to 75 metres away, keeping with a tradition that began in the 11th century.
Wrestlers in tight shorts, skimpy shirts and ornamented leather boots grapple in pairs, trying to throw one another to the ground. One winning wrestler was given the title ?Eye-Pleasing Nationally Famous Mighty and Invincible Giant?.
Much revelry goes on in the crowd as ?airak?: fermented mare?s milk, not unlike yogurt in taste, is passed around.
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