Mongolian Compeititors, Part 2
Anklebone shooting! I mean...wow! flicking bits of sheep bone around is a national pastime, i love it.
The level of preparation these guys go through was breathtaking. Flexing the flicking finger and getting in the zone, placing a flat bone on a level grooved board then flicking said bone (NOT using the index finger, mind you, only the fourth one will do) across the room to where a row of tiny other bones are lined up, waiting to be knocked over in turn, with dozens of intense people watching.
It looked like great fun, and I especially liked this round of competition.
I really loved the way that when there was a good shot, the other competitors would be over the moon. They seem to really appreciate skill here. As in this picture, from the final rounds of the Anklebone shooting, the lad on the left just made a great shot. Note how his competitor here is just delighted for him, even though he'd have lost to the better shooter.
Meanwhile, all the other guys - because of course, like it seems in all Mongolian competitions, there were no limits to entrants and gosh there were lots - would yodel and call encouragement to the shooters. It was an eerie, beautiful sound, with the tent filling with this gentle coaxing sound....
Somehow, interestingly, there were seven first prizes. Don't ask me how they figured that out!
