The Annual Atyrau Horse race attracts many competitors and spectators. Standards of horses and riders vary widely.
The Annual Atyrau Horse race attracts many competitors and spectators. Standards of horses, riders and equipment vary widely. Tack may include saddles and stirrups, but not always. The longest race is a 24Km endurance challenge. The prospect of big prizes (including the latest 4 wheel drive vehicles) results in some jockeys pushing their horses too hard. This and a midday temperature approaching 40 degrees results in some horses not surviving the epic. As each circuit of the track is 3 Km. whilst the horses are on the back straight the crowd are entertained by traditional dancing girls and singers. Atyrau is the centre of Kazakhstan’s Oil and gas exploration and production. Atyrau is rapidly growing, new high rise apartment blocks which are home to many expatriate oil company executives and newly wealthy local people are becoming common. The economic boom is due to the rush to exploit the vast oil and gas Kashagan and Kalamkas reservoirs in the Caspian Sea and the onshore Tengiz field. The race is sponsored by some of the major Oil companies with their main offices in the city.
Size: 5050px × 3354px
Location: Atyrau, Western Kazakhstan, Central Asia
Photo credit: © Robert Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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