National sports festival is held on Almaty Central Hippodrome

Almaty. May 19. Kazakhstan Today - Republican festival of national sports "Uly dala oiyndary" is held on Almaty Central Hippodrome, the press office of Mayor of Almaty said.

Athletes from all parts of Kazakhstan are participating in the festival. The event has been organized within the city program "Sporttyk Almaty" and has reached a record number of participants - about 600 athletes, as reported by Kazakhstan Today.

In his welcoming speech, Mr. Bauyrzhan Baybek, Mayor of Almaty city, stated that in the article of the President Nursultan Nazarbayev "Looking forward: modernization of public conscience", much attention is given to the preservation of culture and national code. Only in the last two years in Almaty were organized five aytys, including festival of akyns "Altyn dombra", and there were opened theater of traditional art "Alatau", multimedia center of traditional music, new handicraftsman center and Museum of thousand-year history of Almaty.

"Since the time of independence, due to the wise policy of Kazakhstan leader, once-forgotten types of national sport and cultural and spiritual heritage of Kazakh people are being restored to life. Such types of national sport as kokpar, kures, zhamby atu, audaryspak and others are becoming increasingly popular. By the end of this year on Almaty Hippodrome, there will be organized 89 horse races (bayge) with the prize fund of 80 million KZT. A great gift for the sports fans will also become the championship on Kazakh kuresi "Almaty Barysy" and "Alem Barysy" in our city", - Baybek said.

In his turn, President of Association of national types of sport of RoK, Bekbolat Tleukhan, declared that Almaty today had become sport and spiritual center of country, where national sports competitions regularly take place.

"National sport is our most valuable asset, as what was given to us from our ancestors, as what we may present to the whole world. Over recent years national sports are actively developing not only in Kazakhstan but also abroad, thus contributing to promote the image of our country. The most prominent example is carrying out of the world championship on kokpar as a part of EXPO-2017", - Tleukhan said.

In republican festival "Uly dala oiyndary" athletes will compete in 12 types of sport: tai zharys for 4 kilometers, kunan bayge for 7 kilometers, ton bayge for 13 kilometers, flat racing, alamanbayge for 21 kilometers, kokpar, aydaryspak, tenge ilu, togys kumalak, asyk atu, zhamby atu, Kazakh kuresi. This year's prize fund amounted to 24 million KZT.

Besides main games, the exhibition of hunting birds, demonstration of hunting breeds of dogs, fair of hand-made arts and crafts will be presented to the attention of festival's guests.

In mayor administration, it was recalled that, this is the second year that festival is held on Almaty Hippodrome, which was established in 1930 and is the important place for the equestrian community of Kazakhstan. In recent years for several reasons arena in Zhetysu region has not been functioning. In 2016 with the support of local authorities, hippodrome celebrated its rehabilitation by accepting first festival of national equine sport, dedicated to 25 years of the Independence of Republic of Kazakhstan and 1000 years of Almaty. Today it is among the top five hippodromes of CIS and is one of the best in Central Asia.

A reminder that in his address to the nation, President of Kazakhstan announced the crucial task: by 2020 to engage 30% of population to physical culture and sports.

"Only healthy population may be called as competitive. That is why one of the strategic priorities of the state policy is the development of mass sports movement", - said the head of state.

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