This small winter camel celebration features beauty competitions, polo matches, and ice archery in the Gobi Mongolian Desert

I never thought I would describe a camel as cuddly. Then again, staying in New York City, there is not much opportunity to reflect on the camel’s texture. That’s not to say I am completely unknown: I have found many dromedary camels on my past journey to Egypt, Morocco, India, and Australia. But meeting their bactrian cousins ​​in southern Mongolia, pressed against the neck of a very arrogant specimen, their purity felt for re -evaluation.

I was at the ten thousand Camel Festival, the annual celebration of a gold -haired Bactrian camel, found almost exclusively on the central Eurasian pasture.

Mongols from all over the country down with the best part (Traditional National Garb) to participate and appear in the camel polo matches, camels, ice archery, singing competitions, and beauty competitions for both camels and their joys decorated. There are also a variety of camel products from small -stuffed camels and gers (Nomadic Mongolian Herders traditional home) to camel wool blankets and camel milk products.

Bactrian camels form a small portion of the world camel population -around 6 percent (or 2 million) to this day. But in the early 90s, the population and luck were worse.

Prior to the 1990 Democratic Revolution in Mongolia, all livestock were managed and purchased by the government. During the transition to the open market under new democracy, coupled with low demand for camel products such as milk and wool, breeders found their camels more valuable to their meat. Many were forced to wet their camels to meet their needs, dropping the population to a low point of 200,000 in Mongolia. The ten thousand camels festivals were launched by the amazing Gobi Tourism Association in 1997 as a way to prevent the deteriorating population by promoting camel products and experiences.

Today, the Bactrian camel tamed in Mongolia is a success story, more than doubling its number to about 480,000. It is a larger performance in view of their slow pregnancy: the camel is pregnant for 13 months on average, and will only have one baby every two years.

Tourism plays a key role in the recovery of species. Many families across the country have increased their lives by offering camel trekking to foreigners, and selling soft feathers for stockings, gloves, hats, and blankets.

“Before we start the event, there is only one family in the south of Gobi organizing a camel trekking,” Tumendelger Khumba, founder and director of the festival, told T+L. “Now we have a lot, some families can get 40 to 50 million tugriks (around $ 11,500 to $ 14,500) a year. Mining is one of the benefits and challenges we face in Mongolia.

A series of whooping calls caught my attention to a pair of fields marked on the edge of the reason. Here, the opening of the camel polo has begun. Men in numbered socks and white helmets up and down the field behind the camel with decorative foot wrap. Leaning to the dye swing, they knock the bright blue ball slightly larger than the softball up and down the field. It was a thrilling view to see, and I spent the next hour watching them shook back and sometimes managed to bury the ball to the opponent’s net.

Across the Polo Farm, a crowd of 10 people stepping out of a series of riders saw riders riding a camel line in the last few hundred feet of a multi-kilometer race. Drones Buzz overhead, feeding a live race to Jumbotron TV in the middle of the area.

By the middle of the day, the public increased to thousands. Although the goal is to improve international tourism, large -scale, this is an event by and for the Mongols. I only see twelve strangers in the colorful sea part. It feels refreshing; Windows into the life and tradition of Gobi population.

Outside of camel’s adventure, the festival is a reason for locals to gather and celebrate winter traditions. One of the star events was the ice archery, where competitors pulled a blunt arrow with a bulbous head and their fire about 150 feet across the frozen ice. The objective is to land a bullet on a protective snow bank and tap a set of 400 grams of ball on the second bank. Each competitor is allowed 20 shots, and the last few hours. The champion received a medal on their hat, and was respected in their territory.

“We want to start an American organization,” Munkhjargal byambadorj, Vice President of the Mongolian Ice Archery Association, told Travel + free time. “We started the association in 2008, but Ice archery first started more than 2000 years ago. We want the sport to be at the Olympics.

Next to the archery farm, around a dozen g Established for each region where the camels were driven. Inside, men pass through a bottle of Snuff in the only exchange, and women distribute copper bowls from camel milk known as Airag. After being brought into one by a man in a green forest, feathers sectionI immediately offered a bowl of sour and sharp drinks. It is a taste that is gained, but must try under the encouragement of the people surrounded.

Back in the middle of the reason, more than a hundred people lined up with their camels for official welcome ceremonies, and camels’ parades. Groups from each province through the waiting line for a mobile phone audience to capture the view. The camel covered with chestnut chocolate until almonds are decorated on anklet, saddle and every rainbow color. More shocking is their rider. In the sheep’s skin section And a complex silk pattern jacket, each is a maximalist fashionista dream. It’s a party for eyes and cameras.

Behind the parade, people have gathered to rage and cause selfies with large camels adorned with dozens of medals. Waving families to join them for photos, they laughed while admiring the magnificent creatures.

I can’t help but nodded in agreement. It’s a delicate camel.