Manas Niyazov, the organizer of the alaman ulak in the Uzgen district, expressed his apologies following the tragic incidents that occurred during the competition. He commented on the events in a public address.
Recall that the game took place on February 8 on the shores of the Kemper-Abad reservoir. During the event, two tragic incidents occurred: one of the riders fell into the river along with his horse and, unfortunately, died. In another incident, a car heading to the alaman ulak went off the slope; the driver was hospitalized.
The alaman ulak was held as part of a festive event — a toya, which Manas Niyazov organized in honor of his sons. Among the prizes were cars, camels, and other types of livestock.
Manas Niyazov noted that he is very sorry about what happened, and he apologized to the public.
According to him, the incidents occurred outside the game zone, but that does not absolve him of responsibility. He also added that about 20 hectares were allocated for parking, while the game zone occupied approximately 50 hectares. The day after the game, relatives and friends cleaned up the area.
The Federation of alaman ulak previously reported that no serious violations of the rules were recorded during the event. Despite what happened, the tournament proceeded according to the planned program.
This event became one of the largest in recent years, gathering numerous riders from different parts of Kyrgyzstan and neighboring countries.
Alaman ulak is a traditional horse game "kuzduzhan," held without strict rules and usually as part of folk celebrations and toya.
