Azerbaijani team gains another victory at Chovqan World Championship

Azerbaijan's national team has gained its next victory at the Chovqan World Championship, Azernews reports.

The team faced the Turkish team in the match organised at the Bina Equestrian Centre.

The meeting ended with a 5:0 victory for the Azerbaijani team. The Azerbaijani national team is the leader in Group A, with the maximum result after three rounds. The Turkish selection is ranked 4th with three points.

The Azerbaijani national team defeated Kazakhstan and Malta with a score of 5:0 in the first two rounds.

The Chovqan World Championship, which has brought together teams from ten countries, will end on June 16.

Chovqan is a traditional horse-riding game played between two teams mounted on Garabagh horses. Chovqan is the predecessor of modern polo. The horse racing was held during holiday festivities.

Each team has five riders, with two fullbacks and three forwards. The game starts at the centre of the field, and players use wooden mallets to try to drive a small leather or wooden ball into their opponents’ goal. The game lasts 30 minutes. There is no age limit in this sport.

Chovqan players traditionally wear large astrakhan hats, long, tight-fitting coats with a high waist, and special trousers, socks, and shoes.

In 2013, UNESCO decided to include the game of “chovqan” on its Intangible Cultural Heritage List.