Golden eagles, hawks and saker falcons featured in traditional hunting contests at the inauguralOpen Asian Falconry Cup, the main competition of the** fifth Shygys Salburyny International Festival**.
Participants came from Kazakhstan,** Türkiye**,** Russia**,** China**,** Mongolia**,** Kyrgyzstan**,** Uzbekistan**,** Georgia**,** Spainand Hungary**. Around** 15,000 spectators** attended the two-day event, which also featured sighthound races, the taming of unbroken horses, mounted archery, the horseback coin-picking contest, known as "tenge ilu", tug of war and other traditional strength contests.
The festival celebrates qusbegilik, Kazakhstan's centuries-old tradition of** hunting with trained birds of prey**.** Golden eagle hunters**, known as "berkutchi", demonstrated their skills alongside other falconers.
Serikbolsyn Zhalgasuly from the Zhambyl Region won thegolden eagle competition, while** Zaki Makhmudkhantook the hawk titleand Temirali Tolegenulywon the saker falcon event**.
Organisers hope the international competition will promote Kazakhstan's hunting heritage and encourage wider recognition of these traditions.