Russian Holidays - Horseman's Day

In Central Asia and the Caucasus, horsemen have long been called horsemen who were distinguished by endurance, agility and courage, masterfully wielded weapons and controlled horses. Today these are real men with hot blood, the embodiment of patriotism and fortitude, defenders of their family and Motherland. On March 1, in Chechnya, Ingushetia and beyond, Horseman Day is celebrated - a celebration of loyalty to traditional values ​​and national foundations. In honor of the holiday, song and dance competitions, tournaments and sports competitions in strength and dexterity are held in the Caucasus. "Dzhigit" translated from Turkic means "youth" or "young guy." Because it was from childhood that boys were raised in a certain direction, developing in them not only agility and endurance, but also courage, boldness and contempt for danger. However, on March 1, men of all ages take part in ceremonial events aimed at enhancing the patriotic spirit and preserving cultural traditions. February 23 is a sad date in the history of the Ingush, Chechen and other peoples of the Caucasus, associated with their deportation to Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan and the genocide of 1944. Therefore, March 1 has become an alternative to Defender of the Fatherland Day, which is not celebrated on the territory of the republics. In honor of Horseman's Day, the Kaloy Kant festival is held in Ingushetia with wrestling competitions and extreme power (weight lifting) tournaments. In addition to participating in competitions, men perform folk songs and national dances - Khelhar, Lezginka, Nokhchi and others. To celebrate the holiday, poetry evenings of famous and aspiring poets are held in Chechnya, where the importance of preserving the national language and cultural traditions is discussed. Dzhitigovka is one of the types of military applied sports, which is a mandatory discipline in the Cossack troops. Representatives of the peoples of the Caucasus are also fluent in it, and they happily demonstrate their skills in honor of the March 1st holiday. Highlanders, riding dashing horses, perform gymnastic and acrobatic exercises, show mastery of saber and other skills. The obligatory elements of horse riding are a “dismount”, a “break” (imitation of the death of the rider and his horse), a “leap”, as well as riding backwards, which allows you to shoot back from your pursuers. The holiday, today celebrated by the peoples of the North Caucasus on March 1, appeared back in 1936. Then Kaloy Kant (Dzhigit Day) fell on May 6. It was celebrated in Pyatigorsk and other cities and regions of Ingushetia. Today, Horseman's Day, as a tribute of respect and honor to Caucasian men, is widely celebrated in Chechnya and other regions of the Caucasus, which are proud of their national traditions, ancient foundations and rich culture.