Riders in eastern Turkey play cirit, an equestrian sport that dates back to the martial horsemen who spearheaded the historical conquests of central Asia's Turkic tribes.
A recent match on a snow-covered field in Erzurum saw players from two of the province's clubs — the Comrades and the Experts — line up for a game that was developed more than 1,000 years ago to hone the cavalry skills developed by warriors including the Seljuks, who conquered Anatolia in the 11th century, and the Huns.
![Selcuk Davulcu, 31, a horse groom for the Dadas (Comrades) local sporting club, kisses a horse prior to a game. Photo / Kenan Asyali, AP](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/PZWM6PV3MKTDFRY5YVKA6I6JBI.jpg?auth=1befde8e4b7081078ed8cdc7a4829de08f0b3e058136dc422c84597ef451be3c&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
![Cirit is one of many traditional sports encouraged by the government at festivals or to celebrate weddings. Photo / Kenan Asyali, AP](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/LVOWOK2JW7ZT6FDN4EPRK36HFU.jpg?auth=b06a9618017b74ccf1ad24cac51827144bfdc8ac678b459e306d7a6cbeac50c1&width=16&height=23&quality=70&smart=true)
The sport revolves around a rider trying to spear his or her opponent with a "javelin" — these days, a rubber-tipped, meter-long piece of wood. The sport's Turkish name translates as javelin or dart.