Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan - Long race to danger for Mongolia child jockeys: "Just before little Baasanjav Lkhagvadorj was lifted onto a horse for a race across Mongolia’s open steppe last week, he asked his father to bless him with a kiss. Minutes later the seven-year-old was killed in a fall, the latest in a rising toll among the country’s child jockeys.
As Mongolia’s biggest national festival, Naadam, begins on Thursday, controversy is mounting over the way unprotected young riders are risking injury and even death.
Horses are at the core of Mongolian culture – there are dozens of words for the colours of an equine coat, and children learn to ride almost as soon as they can walk.
Horseracing is one of the “three manly sports” – along with wrestling and archery – that make up the Naadam celebrations, where the races are among the longest in the world, up to 28 kilometres (17 miles) depending on the age of the horse, four times the length of Britain’s Grand National."
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As Mongolia’s biggest national festival, Naadam, begins on Thursday, controversy is mounting over the way unprotected young riders are risking injury and even death.
Horses are at the core of Mongolian culture – there are dozens of words for the colours of an equine coat, and children learn to ride almost as soon as they can walk.
Horseracing is one of the “three manly sports” – along with wrestling and archery – that make up the Naadam celebrations, where the races are among the longest in the world, up to 28 kilometres (17 miles) depending on the age of the horse, four times the length of Britain’s Grand National."
'via Blog this'
