National Games on Chovgan for the President's Cup
Azerbaijan's annual national chovgan tournament for the President's Cup, held since 2006 — first in Sheki, later at Baku's Bina Equestrian Center — to preserve the national horse-riding game and promote equestrian sport.
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- Established
- 2006
- Location
- Sheki and Baku, Azerbaijan
- Country
- Azerbaijan
- Type
- Annual national chovgan (horse-riding game) tournament
- Trophy
- President's Cup (Presidential Cup)
- Held since
- 2006 (per AzerNews reporting)
- Usual timing
- December
- Early venue
- Republican Equestrian Tourism Center, Sheki
- Later venue
- Bina Equestrian Center, Baku
- Early organisers
- Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Sheki Executive Power
- Later organiser
- Azerbaijan Equestrian Federation
Overview
The National Games on Chovgan for the President’s Cup are Azerbaijan’s annual national chovgan tournament, contested for the President’s Cup and held since 2006. The tournament brings regional and club teams together each December to play chovgan — the traditional Karabakh horse-riding game regarded as the predecessor of modern polo — with the stated aims of preserving and developing the national horse-riding games and promoting equestrian tourism in Azerbaijan (AzerNews).
The games began in the Sheki region, at the Republican Equestrian Tourism Center, under the organisation of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Sheki Executive Power, and later moved to the Bina Equestrian Center in Baku under the Azerbaijan Equestrian Federation (AzerNews; AzerNews). Chovgan tournaments in independent Azerbaijan started from the games held in Shaki in December 2006, and since then the Chovgan Presidential Cup has been held every December (AzerNews). The tournament is played on Karabakh horses, the breed on which chovgan is traditionally mounted (UNESCO).
Origins and purpose
The tournament’s purpose, as stated at the 2013 edition, is to preserve and develop the national horse-riding games — including chovgan, described as Azerbaijan’s cultural heritage — as well as to promote equestrian tourism in the country (AzerNews). A later edition’s opening ceremony put the goals in similar terms: to create an impetus for the development of horse breeding in Azerbaijan and to promote the sport among young people (AzerNews). The format follows the traditional game: two teams of five to six players each plus one odd player, with no goalkeeper — five-player teams field three attackers and two fullbacks, six-player teams add a halfback — and the ball may be stopped with any part of the body but struck only with a special club (AzerNews). Games last 30 minutes in two 15-minute halves, with up to 8 minutes of extra time, then penalty kicks, and if the score is still level, the winner is determined by drawing lots (AzerNews).
The Sheki editions
The best-documented editions are the 8th and 9th National Games, held at the Republican Equestrian Tourism Center in Sheki. The 8th Games opened on 16 December 2013 and ran to 20 December, organised by the Culture and Tourism Ministry and the Sheki Executive Power, bringing together 20 regional teams (AzerNews). The opening game saw Sheki beat Lachin 1:0, and the edition coincided with a landmark month for the sport: the culture minister linked the games to chovgan’s inclusion that same month in UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, at the committee’s 8th session held in Baku on 2–7 December (AzerNews). The 9th competition followed on 17–22 December, with teams from Gabala, Agstafa, Agcabedi, Goranboy, Gakh, Balakan, Yevlakh, Sheki, Oguz, Agdam, Ismailli, Lachin and Xachmaz, plus Baku clubs Serhedchi, Polad and Kovsar (AzerNews). In the final, held on 22 December, Serhedchi beat Kovser 4:0 to win the Presidential Cup, with Agtstafa third (AzerNews).
The Baku era
Later editions moved to the Bina Equestrian Center in Baku, organised by the Azerbaijan Equestrian Federation, with a more club-based field. One Bina edition opened with a parade of participating teams, a concert, and a cavalry display by the State Border Service with Garabagh horses, before a first match between Sarhadchi-Garabagh and Polad (AzerNews). In another Bina final, the Polad team won the President’s Cup, beating Sarhadchi-Karabakh 4:1, after Sarhadchi-Dilbaz had beaten Omar 2:1 for bronze; eight teams took part, including Kohlen, Shirvan, Zafar and Embawood, and the winners received medals, diplomas and a trophy (AzerNews). The most recent edition documented here is the 12th President’s Chovqan Cup, dedicated to the birthday of President Ilham Aliyev, at which six teams competed, Sarhadchi beat Embavud 2:1 for third place, and Elit overcame Polad 3:2 in the final (AzerNews).
| Edition | Venue | Teams | Winner (final score) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8th (Dec 2013) | Republican Equestrian Tourism Center, Sheki | 20 regional teams | Not reported in sources read |
| 9th (Dec 2014) | Republican Equestrian Tourism Center, Sheki | Regional + Baku clubs | Serhedchi 4:0 Kovser |
| Bina era (later) | Bina Equestrian Center, Baku | 8 teams | Polad 4:1 Sarhadchi-Karabakh |
| 12th (Bina era) | Bina Equestrian Center, Baku | 6 teams | Elit 3:2 Polad |
Sources: AzerNews 8th, AzerNews 9th, AzerNews Bina final, AzerNews 12th. The 9th edition’s year follows its sequence after the dated 8th edition of December 2013.
Frequently asked questions
What is the National Games on Chovgan for the President’s Cup? It is Azerbaijan’s annual national chovgan tournament, played for the President’s Cup each December since 2006. Regional and club teams compete in the traditional Karabakh horse-riding game, with the stated aims of preserving the national horse-riding games and promoting equestrian tourism and horse breeding.
Where is the tournament held? The early editions were held at the Republican Equestrian Tourism Center in Sheki, organised by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Sheki Executive Power. Later editions moved to the Bina Equestrian Center in Baku, organised by the Azerbaijan Equestrian Federation.
What are the rules of chovgan as played in the tournament? Two teams of five to six players plus one odd player, with no goalkeeper; five-player teams field three attackers and two fullbacks. Games last 30 minutes in two 15-minute halves, with up to 8 minutes of extra time, then penalties, and drawing lots if the score is still level.
Who has won the President’s Cup? Documented winners include Serhedchi, who beat Kovser 4:0 in the 9th edition’s final; Polad, who beat Sarhadchi-Karabakh 4:1 in a later Bina final; and Elit, who beat Polad 3:2 in the 12th Cup. The 8th edition’s winner is not reported in the sources read.
What this profile does not claim
- It does not assert a complete year-by-year record: it describes the documented editions (8th, 9th, two Bina-era editions including the 12th) rather than a full annual ledger.
- It does not independently verify the “since 2006” start date beyond AzerNews’ reporting.
- It does not assert exact years for the later Bina-era editions beyond what edition sequence and context support; the fetched pages do not carry visible publication dates.
- It does not assert unbroken annual numbering between the Sheki-era Games and the Bina-era Cups; the ordinals are reported as given.
- It does not give full results for any edition: the sources read do not report every match score or every participating team.
Timeline
- 2006-12
- National chovgan tournaments begin in independent Azerbaijan with games in Shaki in December; the Chovgan Presidential Cup is held every December thereafter.
- 2013-12-16
- The 8th National Games on Chovgan for the President Cup open at the Republican Equestrian Tourism Center in Sheki with 20 regional teams; Sheki beat Lachin 1:0 in the opening game.
- 2013-12
- In the same month, UNESCO inscribes Chovqan on its List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding at its 8th session in Baku.
- 2014-12
- The ninth Chovgan competition for the President Cup is held at the Republican Equestrian Tourism Center in Sheki, 17–22 December; Serhedchi beat Kovser 4:0 in the final.
- 2023
- A President's Cup tournament organised by the Equestrian Federation of Azerbaijan concludes at the Bina Equestrian Center; Polad beat Sarhadchi-Karabakh 4:1 in the final.
- 2025
- The 12th President's Chovqan Cup, dedicated to the birthday of President Ilham Aliyev, concludes at the Bina Equestrian Center; Elit beat Polad 3:2 in the final.
What we could not verify
These claims came up in research and could not be confirmed. They are recorded here rather than published as fact or quietly dropped. If you hold a source that settles one, please tell us.
- The 'since 2006' start date follows AzerNews reporting; the exact year of the very first edition could not be cross-checked against an independent source.
- The fetched AzerNews pages for the 9th and later (Bina-era) editions do not carry visible publication dates, so the years assigned to those editions (2014 for the 9th, and the later Bina-era years) are inferred from edition sequence and context, not directly stated on the pages.
- Numbering continuity between the Sheki-era National Games (8th in 2013, 9th in 2014) and the later Bina-era Cups (12th by the most recent edition) is not fully documented in the sources read; the profile reports the ordinals as given without asserting an unbroken annual count.
- Full results (all match scores, all participating teams for every edition) are not given because the sources read do not report them completely.
- The profile scopes honestly: it describes the tournament through its documented editions rather than claiming a complete year-by-year record.
Sources
7 sources (1 tier 1, 6 tier 2), each opened and read against the claim it supports. Every source is independent of the subject; no first-party material is cited. See the source policy.
This profile rests on contemporaneous AzerNews reporting (tier2) of the 2013, 2014 and later editions, plus UNESCO's Chovqan inscription record (tier1) for the game itself. Editions are given by ordinal because the later AzerNews pages consulted do not carry visible publication dates in the fetched text; years for the 2023 and 2025 editions follow the editions' sequence and are flagged in openItems.
- Supports: Chovqan as a traditional horse-riding game played on Karabakh horses by two teams of five riders (two fullbacks, three forwards) with wooden mallets and a leather or wooden ball, interspersed with janghi folk music; inscription December 2013 on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding Open original source
- Supports: 8th National Games opened at the Sheki-based Republican Equestrian Tourism Center on 16 December, running to 20 December; organised by the Culture and Tourism Ministry and Sheki Executive Power; 20 teams; games traditionally held since 2006, aimed at preserving and developing national horse-riding games including Chovgan and promoting equestrian tourism; opening game Sheki–Lachin 1:0; chovgan format (five to six players plus one odd player, no goalkeeper, 30-minute games, extra time and penalties) Open original source
- Supports: Ninth Chovgan competition for the President Cup at the Republican Equestrian Tourism Center, Sheki, 17–22 December; co-organised by the Culture and Tourism Ministry and Sheki Executive Power; regional teams plus Baku clubs Serhedchi, Polad and Kovsar; semi-finals and final (Serhedchi beat Kovser 4:0, Agtstafa third); tournament held regularly since 2006; Karabakh horses as the national animal; chovgan's UNESCO inscription at the 8th session in Baku Open original source
- Supports: Bina-era edition organised by the Azerbaijan Equestrian Federation at Bina Equestrian Center; opening ceremony with team parade, concert and a State Border Service cavalry show with Garabagh Horses; stated goals of developing horse breeding and promoting the sport among young people; chovgan format (five riders, two fullbacks and three forwards, 30 minutes, mallets and ball); UNESCO's 2013 inscription Open original source
- Supports: Bina-era President's Cup final: Polad beat Sarhadchi-Karabakh 4:1; Sarhadchi-Dilbaz beat Omar 2:1 for bronze; 8 teams (Sarhadchi-Karabagh, Polad, Kohlen, Shirvan, Sarhadchi-Dilbaz, Omar, Zafar, Embawood); medals, diplomas and trophy presented by the Youth and Sports Minister and the Equestrian Federation president Open original source
- Supports: 12th President's Chovqan Cup final and award ceremony at the Bina Equestrian Center, organised by the Azerbaijan Equestrian Federation and dedicated to the birthday of President Ilham Aliyev; six teams; semi-final and final format; Sarhadchi beat Embavud 2:1 for third; Elit beat Polad 3:2 in the final Open original source
- Supports: Chovgan tournaments in independent Azerbaijan started from the games held in Shaki in December 2006; since then the Chovgan Presidential Cup has been held every December Open original source
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