[SerenWish]

Extending until the 10th of April.

[teresa8oats]

Extending until the 10th of April.

Thank you sooo much!

[SerenWish]

Does anyone need an extension, or can I judge this today?

I'm only willing to extend it two more days, because it's been a month since I posted it. XD

[teresa8oats]

Does anyone need an extension, or can I judge this today?

I'm only willing to extend it two more days, because it's been a month since I posted it. XD

Gah could you?

[SerenWish]

Username: ImmyWimmy1
Name: Bataar (Mongolian name, meaning 'hero')
Gender: Stallion
Color: Dark Bay
Genes: Ee/Aa/dd
Eagle Name: Bold (Mongolian name, meaning 'steel')

~~*~~


-Trivia-

1.What are the traditional homes that Mongolian Nomads live in called?

The Mongolian Ger is similar to the Native American tepee in concept: a small, portable dwelling with a simple wooden frame, held together be leather strips and covered in felt and canvas for shelter and wind resistance. Like the tepee, they were designed for quick assembly and dismantling, as well as being easily transported by three camels or a yak-pulled cart. They are big enough for a small family to live in.

The gers themselves are comprised of several little sections of lattice, called khana (the average being six), with a separate umbrella-shaped section for the doorway (made of slender poles called uni). All of the poles are slotted into the tonoo, a circular frame at the top of the structure. The doors used to be felt flaps, but modern nomads often opt for a carved or painted wooden door. Each ger contains a dried dung- or wood-fuelled stove, so each one has a small opening at the top to let any smoke out. The felt is then layered for heat retention, whilst the canvas is then layered for waterproofing. These layers are tied to the lattice with ropes made of wool and hair. During the summer, only one layer is used, but in the winter two or three layers may be used. The entrance always faces south.

Source: http://www.mongolian-ways.com/culture.htm


2. Explain the basics of Mongolian falconry to me:

"There are three things a real man should have: a fast horse, a hound, and a golden eagle." ~Kazakhstan proverb

To the professional hunters, the art is known as berkutchy or kusbeguy (in Kazakh), or even berkutchi (but only to the Kyrgyz people of the Bugu clan). Young eagles are raised by young boys in order to build up a bond to last a lifetime. A hood is put onto the eagle's head to render them unable to see their surroundings, making them completely reliant on their trainer and further strengthening the level of trust (having previous experience in the falconry art myself, I can recall that trust is the main link between birds and man, not affection as in other animals). Only then can training begin. Golden Eagles will be trained to hunt alongside man on horseback, which often takes years to complete. Once trained to a sufficient level, the young man can take the eagle out hunting. Upon his first successful hunting trip, the boy will be considered a full-grown man and true hunter, having passed this 'test of manhood'.

Today it is estimated that there are 250 eagle hunters in the Western Mongolian province. Foxes are the main source of prey, as they provide both meat for food and furs for clothing (there's extra information in the video below, should you choose to watch it). Wolves are also taken for their meat and furs, but targeting has also helped to prevent wolves attacking foals in the herds of horses that travel with the nomads. During the first week of October, hunters will gather for the Golden Eagle festival of Mongolia. After this time, fox and hare become the main hunting targets as they stand out against the snow. And, with the global community easier to access, the prospect of hunting with eagles on horseback has turned this into quite a profitable form of tourism. Maybe someday I'll be one of those tourists...

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunting_with_eagles

Side note- for those of you who might not have seen it, the BBC did an absolutely marvellous documentary on different human cultures around the world, including the Mongolian nomads. This little YouTube clip has some information on nomads hunting with Golden Eagles, even footage of a hunt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewr-vzw4ZWo


3. Explain the rules/guidelines of Buzkashi:

Before I go into the rules, I think it wise to explain the game. Introduced in Kazakhstan, the aim of the game is for one team of horse-mounted riders to drag a headless goat carcass towards a goal of sorts. Players may try and pull the goat carcass out of another player's hands, but they must not be violent towards the other player. Before regulations and match times were set out, individual games could go on for days on end!

There are many different forms of Buzkashi. Before the official establishment of rules, there were some general rules for people to abide by, such as not whipping your opponent or trying to knock them off their horse deliberately. In fact, heavy clothing was often worn as protection, with left over Soviet tank helmets being used during the Soviet Union's existence! The high heeled boots used to lock into the saddle, however, are still used today in order to make picking the goat carcass off the ground an easier task.

Now, onto the modern-day rules.

Rules introduced by Afghan Olympic Federation:

1. The ground has a square layout with each side 400 meters long.
2. Each team consists of 10 riders each.
3. Only five riders from each team can play in a half.
4. The total duration of each half is 45 minutes.
5. There is only one 15 minute break between the two halves.
6. The game is supervised by a referee.
7. Based on the referee's decision a rider can be substituted during the game.

In Kyrgyzstan, the rules are different again, as well as the game being referred to as kokpar:

1.There are two teams with 10 participants in each
2.Only 4 players a team are allowed to play on a field at a given time
3.Teams are allowed to substitute players or their horses
4.Game is played on a field of 200 meters long and 80 meters wide
5.Two kazans – big goals with a diameter of 3.6 meters and 1.5 meter high are placed on opposite sides of a field
6.A goal is scored each time a kokpar (goat carcass) is placed in an opponent's kazan.
7.A kokboru is brought to the field center after scoring a goal

It is also prohibited to ride towards the spectators and/or receive spectators assistance or to start a kokpar game without giving an oath to play justly.

In Tajikistan, there are many ways to play, but the most common way involves individuals competing to carry the carcass to individual goals (basically a free-for-all). This version often has short matches and can get pretty messy pretty quickly.

The game also has two main forms: Tudabarai and Qarajai. In Tudabarai, the goal is simply to grab the goat and move in any direction until clear of the other players. In Qarajai, players must carry the carcass around a flag or marker at one end of the field, then throw it into a scoring circle (sometimes called the "Circle of Justice") at the other end.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buzkashi

I spent a ton of time thinking it over, but Immy's story blew me away. I was actually really sad over Bold. Seriously. Amazing writing, lovely characterization. I'm in love.

In just 5 days I will release the next Special Adopt! Hint: American Breed!

[ImmyWimmy1]

I spent a ton of time thinking it over, but Immy's story blew me away. I was actually really sad over Bold. Seriously. Amazing writing, lovely characterization. I'm in love.

In just 5 days I will release the next Special Adopt! Hint: American Breed!

ASDFGHJKLQWERTYUIOOPZBCNMBDRVTLCSGNduhgoxvchjcngu lisfcbkrahj,c zvshKZVH cgjnzdfvrhmtndkg!

YAAAAAAAAY SO HAPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*calms down, -ish*

Danke schön, Seren! <333

[Arrows]

Congrats Immy!

Maybe I'll get the next one, and actually have the energy to put up a good form for it! x3

[SerenWish]

I spent a ton of time thinking it over, but Immy's story blew me away. I was actually really sad over Bold. Seriously. Amazing writing, lovely characterization. I'm in love.

In just 5 days I will release the next Special Adopt! Hint: American Breed!

ASDFGHJKLQWERTYUIOOPZBCNMBDRVTLCSGNduhgoxvchjcngu lisfcbkrahj,c zvshKZVH cgjnzdfvrhmtndkg!

YAAAAAAAAY SO HAPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*calms down, -ish*

Danke schön, Seren! :D <333

B'aawwww you make me so happy with the German <3

[ImmyWimmy1]

B'aawwww you make me so happy with the German <3

Well you made me happy with Bataar and Bold, so I wanted to make my Seren happy! <3

[urie]

Oh my gosh, I am so happy for you Immy! I know how much you wanted him and... ^^ it's amazing!!!!
I think I am happier than I would have been if I had won him (but as you and Seren know, I gave up lol)