Zane & Charlie Covering the Nomad Olympics in Kazakhstan

UPDATE: I've hired a videographer!

And not just any Joe Shmoe with a camera, this guy is the real deal. He once traveled across Europe without his phone or wallet, trading only Red Bull drinks for roof, grub, and transportation.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome Charlie to the team.

Charlie saw my post about the games and replied with three words: "I want in."

The rest is history, or about to be.

I've raised the goal to help cover both our expenses.

If you're unable to donate, a completely free way to help us is by sharing the good word (this link).

Read below for the full story.

--

Have you ever heard of Er Enish (horseback wrestling), Ordo (a game like bocce but played with animal bones), or Kok-Boru (polo, but instead of a ball, players use a headless goat carcass)?

I certainly hadn’t until a week ago when a friend mentioned an event in Kazakhstan called the World Nomad Games.

The World Nomad Games are similar to the Olympics in the sense that competitors come from all corners of the world, but these games are special as they focus strictly on traditional nomadic competitions involving lots of horses, bows, spears, falcons, and grit.

This is the world stage where the toughest, meanest, cement-chewing, steel-bending warriors collide in the brutal pursuit of honor and victory.

WHY I'M HERE:

I pitched this story to several big news outlets, but it turns out most publishers only pay for the story after completion. They also often keep the rights to the story, which means they can edit it however they want to fit their company’s narrative (more likely, the narrative their sponsors want them to push).

I don’t love that idea. In fact, I hate it.

It undermines the ethos of true journalism.

MY ASK:

Raw events deserve raw coverage. No filter, no fluff.

I want to be the guy who delivers that to you.

The thing is, I don’t have much cash. I’ve been living off waiter savings for the entirety of this year, and the peanut rations are dwindling.

To do this right, I need your help.

GOALS:

I’m not here to share cookie-cutter stories. My job is to explore the underbelly of this event.

Who’s watching the horses at night? Do you think they’d take a bribe to let me borrow one to ride under the full Kazakh moon?

What’s going on in those yurts, anyway? Are they really drinking fresh yak milk? Do they mind if I get a round in on the udders?

Who are the best athletes we’ve never heard of? Who are their rivals? Why? Do the ladies leave their men if they lose the match? I certainly would. It’s more honorable to be single and celibate than to date someone who lost a national tug-of-war competition.

There are seven types of wrestling events being held. Can I find at least one guy to wrestle on his break? I bet I can. Just don’t bet on me to win.

The last time I fired an arrow from a bow was well over a decade ago. Boy Scouts, Troop 433. Maybe you’ve heard of us? We were the troop that had a little accident on an outing when an arrow misfired into one of my fellow Scout’s calves. No, it wasn’t my arrow that day, but sometimes I wish it had been. That rosy-cheeked punk had it coming. He’d been crushing the rest of us in our annual popcorn sales for the past two years, just because his white sweater-wearing, cigar-chewing daddy would order Classic Caramel Corn by the truckload.

I digress. The point is, I need to get my hands on a bow and see if my aim is good enough to stick a calf.

BUDGET:

$2,350 for our flights

$600 for our room

$550 for food (This will not be spent on horse meat. I just can't do it.)

$200 for baksheesh (Trust me, for the stories you want, I’m going to need this.)

$100 for nights out with athletes (Have you ever discoed with a falconer? Do you think they would bring their falcon along?)

$75 for transportation

$75 for emergencies (Knowing the tendencies of our team, this number should be a lot higher)

$50 for wagers and side-bets (I may be able to pay you back by the end of this.)

$2 for TWO warm pints of yak milk

FINAL NOTES:

My goal is not to make money off this adventure. The experience is my pay.

My goal is to hunt down the most interesting stories and share them authentically. That's it.

***

I'm so grateful for all of the support this vision has garnered. Because

Your rogue in field,

Zane

Subscribe to my newsletter for updates.

Follow my YouTube for videos.