Buzkashi: A Historic and Brutal Central Asian Sport
Buzkashi is a brutal sport that dates back to Genghis Khan. These Tajikistan players are trying to grab the body of a goat and drop it over a goal line. It’s every man for himself – and games can last six hours
I cannot recall where I first encountered the sport of buzkashi. Played across Central Asia, it is believed to originate from the era of Genghis Khan. The game involves large groups of men on horseback attempting to seize the headless body of a goat and maintain control long enough to place it beyond a designated line on the ground. There are no teams; it is every man for himself, and matches can endure for up to six hours.
My photographic projects often involve dynamic subjects, but when I decided to return to the fundamentals of light and tone through a black and white series, buzkashi seemed an ideal fit. Much of the footage I found was from Tajikistan, so I traveled there, hiring a local fixer to assist with logistics since information about the timing and location of matches is typically passed by word of mouth only a few days beforehand.
The first match I attended was the largest, featuring approximately 300 riders at its peak. Tajikistan is 93% mountainous, so matches take place in valley folds or dried riverbeds where natural geography somewhat contains the play. However, containment is limited, and spectators often must scatter as riders charge through the crowd. The "goal" lines can be as far apart as two football pitches, with the direction of play reversing after each score. Those who score receive prizes, which increase in value as the match progresses. I have witnessed prizes ranging from carpets to camels and even cars, attracting more players as the game continues.
My personal projects are self-funded through my advertising work, and I apply the same level of planning as I do for client assignments. At one match, I photographed from the back of a pickup truck positioned in the middle of the field. The pack passed within meters, enabling some visceral images. Buzkashi is a physically demanding and intense sport, but my intention was not to normalize cruelty; rather, I aimed to document a tradition deeply embedded in Tajik culture.
It struck me that the riders were seeking control amid absolute chaos to achieve their goal, a concept that paralleled my approach to photography. Wide shots of the location yielded cinematic results, with clouds of dust from the horses’ hooves and smoke from spectators’ charcoal fires creating a layered visual effect.
Portraits and Environmental Context
I also visited the farms of some riders, capturing portraits of them individually and with their families, who were remarkably hospitable. For one photograph, I accompanied three horses and their riders into a field on a beautiful day, with a vast snowy mountain range in the background. As I prepared to shoot with my assistant, our fixer warned, "You’d better hurry …" I turned to see a dense fog rolling toward us.
Being able to respond quickly to unfolding events is crucial. As the background turned white, I recalled the work of Richard Avedon. I positioned my assistant off to the left holding a light above the horses, while I used another flash near the camera. I encouraged the horses to interact as I photographed them from a low angle on the ground.
There were moments when the horses came uncomfortably close, requiring me to retreat backward while crouching. I have footage of myself falling, but the resulting image is a stark distillation of a buzkashi moment. The clean background highlights the horses’ tension, and the visual pressure created by cropping most riders tightly at the frame’s edge reflects the claustrophobic nature of the match, where space is extremely limited.
Todd Antony’s Recognition and Exhibition
Todd Antony is the winner of the Sport category in the Sony World Photography Awards. The accompanying exhibition is at Somerset House, London, until 4 May. readers can use the code 15 (valid until 4 May, 5pm) to receive a 15% discount on exhibition tickets.
Todd Antony’s CV
Born: New Zealand, 1975
High point: Winning the Sony World Photography Awards. A notable shooting experience was in Bolivia at high altitude on Huayna Potosi mountain with the Cholitas Escaladoras.
Top tip: Before picking up the camera, ask yourself one question: what is this actually about? Not what it looks like, but what it means. This intention guides editing, lighting, and lens choice. Story-led work uses craft to serve meaning, not just aesthetics.
