History:
Kabakhi is one of the oldest Georgian sports games, known to have been played since the Middle Ages and even earlier, dating back to the time of Vakhtang Gorgasali. It is believed that kabakhi was played in old Tbilisi, particularly in the area of Ortachala. Kabakhi events, known as kabakhoba, were held in the center of the city and attracted large crowds of spectators.
Rules:
Kabakhi is played on a 150 by 20-30 meter field, with a 6-meter high mast topped by a 30 cm target bowl in the center. Two parallel lines, 20-30 meters long, are marked 75 meters from the mast as the starting and control lines. Riders, using wooden bows and weighted arrows, gallop towards the mast to shoot the target. After the first shot, they cross the control line, turn, and shoot again. Teams wear different colored uniforms, and riders have numbered positions. Each hit scores 1 point, and the team with the most hits and the least time wins. The game is judged by a panel of referees, and it starts and ends with signals from the head referee.
