Traditional Turkish Sports - Take-a

Özge Özden
What Is Equitation?
Equitation is an olympic sport
which is done with horses by female
and male athletes.
The History Of
Equitation

The history of equitation is
based on the first ages, when
people started to tame and ride
horses. Equitation is one of the
oldest sports with its 4
thousand years of history.
Horse and riding was very
important among the Turks
and the Islamic world.

The Turks were good
riders back when they
lived as nomad societies.
Old Turks are known as
the masters of sports
which involve horseback
riding, like javelin.

Evidences that indicate the usage of
saddles back in BC 4th century were
found in the Central Asia, but when
people started to settle permanently in
the Ottoman Empire times, horseback
riding lost its importance (especially in
the urban places of the cities) and was
limited to military purposes only.

In 1913, " Sipahi Ocağı"
(one of the most important
horse-riding clubs) was
founded, which
consequently increased the
interest being shown to the
sport by the citizens of the
Ottoman Empire.
A historic Turkish sport
Doğukan Tek
 The Oil Wrestling is a traditional Turkish sport practiced
for hundreds of years. Wrestlers put oil every part of their
upper body and wrestling gear, thats how the sport
named.
 The matches are held in a field called «Er Meydanı»
 It’s really hard to hold your opponent while he is oiled all over,
thats why Oil Wrestling
is very competitive sport.
Traditional Oil Wrestling tournaments are still held every year
in the city of Edirne to remember
the important date that Turkish people came to the Rumelia.
 It’s also important way to commemoration Turkish
martyr that fought for Turkey.

İlke Alkaç

Turkish Archery History

Archery which is a anchestor sport was preserved
traditional value during centuries. It has a special
facility in Turkish history and also Islam. Bow and
arrow was used in the form of a battle weapon at
firstly in the middle asian during Turkish history,
after invention of firearms it has shape up as a sport. It
was seen that the first rules about the archery have
occured with Oguzlar B.C. 5000. After Oguzlar
choosed islam, archery growth and archery would be
the top years with Ottoman Empire.
Turkısh Bow

Materials and Technical

Uighurs made their own cord from horse hair.
Moreover, arrow heads different sizes and facilities were
found at cave drowings in cenotaph which was mad efor
Kul Tigin and Bilge Kagan with excavations. Archery has
not a value in the form of battle weapon but also it has a
value of the symbol. It was a symbol of command and
also it was used for stamping official pappers with
beewax. They specially made of gold, silver, iron, copper
and bell metal. Bow has a lots of parts. They were called
as toz, yelek,temren etc. There was not a special cup for
transport bow, they usually was transported with putting
up arm or shoulder but there was a special cup for
transporting arrow.

Alican MARAŞLI
Matrak is an Ottoman army game. Invented in 17th
century to teach and practice how to attack with the
sword and how to defence with a shield.

During playing matrak, instead of sword should be a
wooden stick (like in the picture below) and the shield
should be a pillow.

The goal is to hit the enemies hat. Once time hit is 1
point. And the player with the most points becomes the
winner.

THE TRADITIONAL
TURKISH GAME
CIRIT
Cirit, or “çavgan,” is a traditional
game which has been played by
Turks for many centuries.
For the Turks, Cirit was both a
great ceremony and a sports
competition.
Until 40 or 50 years ago, the game
was still widely played across
Anatolia, but later its scope
shrank to only the areas
of Balıkesir, Söğüt, Konya , Kars ,
Erzurum and Bayburt. And now,
for over two decades, the game
has retreated across the sands of
time into
only Konya and Balikesir.
HOW TO PLAY?
In a Cirit game, there are two teams. These two teams are placed in rows
of 6, 8 or 12 players in a field as much as 70 or 120 meters in
length. Cirit players, dressed in regional costumes, mount their horses.
With their right hand they hold the first Cirit – a long stick – they will
throw while holding other Cirits in their left hand. One rider from each
side rushes forth towards the opposite side until they are within 30-40
meters of the other side. Then one player shouts the name of a player
from the other team, challenging him to enter the game.
He then throws the Cirit in his
right hand to that player. Later
he turns around and he spurs
his horse towards his own row.
The challenged player from the
opposing team follows him and
throws a Cirit at the player who
is running away. Another player
from the first row comes out
and meets the returning rider.
The player from the second row
starts riding quickly to his row
and takes his former place. This
time his rival chases him and
throws a Cirit at him. The game
continues in this manner.
Players who succeed in hitting a player from the
opposing team with a Cirit win a point, but they
lose a point if the Cirit hits the horse instead of the
player.