Kok Boru

Charlie Birch

In the summer of 2023 Charlie traveled to the village of Cholpon Ata in Krygistan and captured a moment in history: one of the last major Kok Boru tournaments where the traditional goat carcass was to be used. Kok Boru translates to “blue wolf” in Kyrgyz, and refers to a horseback sport played across much of Central Asia, where players compete in teams of up to 12, to grab a headless goat carcass and throw it into a donut shaped goal. However, as globalisation and modernisation creep into traditional ways of life, the game of kok boru is being forced to adapt. While it continues to draw large crowds, in some places controversy over the ethics of animal use have seen the traditional bloody goat carcass replaced with synthetic balls. This change, sparking controversy among locals, marks a significant shift in the sport. 2025 68 Pages 230 x 160 mm Essay by John Sunyer Screenprint cover by Vary Lab Drone footage by Suyunbek Turdobekov