The Naadam - the three manly games

Its roots go back to the time of the Huns. Later, under Chinggis Khan, the Naadam became a military practice for warriors. Nowadays, it is celebrated in memory of the revolution of 1921 and takes place on the 11th and 12th of July every year under the name of ‘state Naadam’. The Naadam consists of three sports competitions: the wrestling, the horseback riding and the archery.
Wrestling is the Mongolian national sport. The competition runs according to the K.O.-Sytem. The competitor who first touches the ground with either head or knee has lost the round.
The Jockeys of the horseback racing are between 5 and 13 years old. According to the age group of the horse, the length of the race varies between 12 and 35 km. The first 5 horses are distinguished as winners.
The targets of the archery competition are small tins wrapped in felt balls. The targets are placed in a row on the ground and must be hit from a distance of about 80 m. The best archery shooters are nick-named ‘the accurate ones’ in the Mongolian language.