French Association of Kyrgyz Horse presents
«NOMAD ADVENTURE»
from Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) to Paris (France)

To preserve horses which are under threat of extinction, they will go through thousands of kilometres of passes, deserts and immense steppes. They will overcome Tian-Shan’s spring snow, they will ride for several months under the hot sun and experience the first autumn storms. Nomadic riders from Kyrgyzstan will become ambassadors of their culture and they will be honoured guests of several international events in France to celebrate horses, their companions of life, so far from their country in Central Asia and after their triumphant arrival to Paris.

The Nomadic journey will be 7000 kilometres and they will cross 8 countries. This is an incredible journey between East and West, which has been not done since the great invasions by nomadic people from the vast Eurasian steppe.

This type of human endeavour is unusual in our time. In the era of excess, quick and easy information, computerisation, the television and the telephone, organization of this  journey of several months, travelling the legendry silk way which links Bishkek (capital of Kyrgyzstan) with Paris will look funny. 

However, this is a crazy project by a group of Kyrgyz riders: crossing on horseback Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine and many European countries to talk about their culture, nomadic tradition and their people’s lives in the heart of Central Asia.

Besides sport competitions, this journey will have the possibility to reveal cultural wealth of a people who build their history with horses in harmonious union: with the ancient, nomadic, Kyrgyz horses; horses of exceptional endurance who are since soviet times facing extinction and these riders are trying to preserve them.

Jacqueline Ripart, the founder and president of Kyrgyz Ate foundation in Bishkek and the French Association of Kyrgyz Horses, who has taken part and promoted the preservation of these horses and the genetic and cultural heritage of Kyrgyz people since 2001. She will be the patron of this big nomadic epic.

In history

This adventure stands in the same line as the epic of the horse.

In 1813 when Napoleon I decided to abandon his dream to conquer Russia, Tsar Alexander I who wanted to invade Paris, found that this had not been achieved by a foreign army for 400 years and he sent his troops to join with Austria and Prussia. Under the command of Marshal Philip de Scharzenberg, this troop numbered 100,000 people and horses. There were Kyrgyz recruits among them, who entered the capital on March 30th to reach the Arc de Triomphe. 

In 1875, the captain Frederic Bernaby, left from Kasala (Russia) to join in Khira (Turkistan) with the Kyrgyz horse.

In 1889, the young cossack Peshkok on his horse Serco, accomplished an incredible feat, travelling 9,000 kilometres in 200 days. Recently, Jean-Louis Gourand accomplished 3,333 kilometres in 75 days from Paris to Moscow.

The entrance of Russian troops in Paris, 1813

Adventure

A caravan consisting of 30 Kyrgyz horses ridden by 15 Kyrgyz riders, accompanied by technical and medical groups, will cross 7,000 kilometers west through Central Asia to  Europe.

The arrival in France will coincide with the following international equestrian events: the prestigious weekend of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, Longchamp (Paris) and the festival Equi’days in Calvados.

Our group will ride approximately 50 to 70 kilometres per day. In other words, 5 months riding with planned stops in several countries.

Every country will offer help to the riders to overcome any difficulties during the journey.  To conclude this big adventure, the Kyrgyz type horses  will be sold by auction.

This wonderful adventure requires between 14 and 18 months of preparation. The first administrative actions begun in September 2007, to begin the rides in the middle of April 2008, with the intention of arriving in October 2008, to coincide with the horse events at that time.

Kyrgyzstan : from 24 to 29 April 2008. 1st May celebratory departure from Bishkek-275 kilometres
Kazakhstan : from 2 May to 21 June 2008 -  2300 kilometres
Russia : from 22 June to 5 July 2008 -  620 kilometres
Ukraine : from 6 July to 5 August 2008- 1400 kilometres
Poland : from 22 June to 5 July 2008- 620 kilometres
Czech Republic : from 16 to 25 August 2008- 420 kilometres
Poland : from 6 to 15 August 2008- 420 kilometres
Germany : from 26 August to 18 September- 1030 kilometres
France : from 19 to 27 September 2008- 5 October Celebration of the arrival-430 kilometers.