Kyz Kuu May — the chase for a girl — is an equestrian game involving a girl and a young man (dzhigit).
In the past, kyz kuu may was part of the wedding ceremony. Now it has lost that significance.
At the start, the girl and the young man are called. The girl (formerly only the bride) starts the race with a handicap (in terms of time or distance) accompanied by a woman (mother-in-law). The girl has a head start of 20 meters. At the signal, the girl gallops towards the finish line, and the young man sets off in pursuit of her.
The role of the woman (mother-in-law) is to prevent the young man from getting close to the girl and to help her escape from the young man (the groom). The young man who catches up with the girl signals his victory by removing his headgear or touching her back with his hand, and sometimes even kissing her while riding.
If the young man catches up with the girl and kisses her, marking his victory, they gallop side by side around the post at the finish line.
However, it is not an easy task to catch a Kyrgyz girl who races like the wind. If the young man fails — if she does not wish to yield — the girl and the young man switch roles. Now the girl chases the young man, striking his back with a whip.
The thrilling gallop of the participants, the splendor of the national attire, and the rich equestrian equipment leave the spectators captivated. They express their joy or dissatisfaction with loud exclamations and applause.
Kyz Kuu May is a highly popular youth game; no celebration or holiday is complete without it. It is so emotional and engaging that young men and women of Russian and other nationalities participate in it.
