Every month on the Backpack's sports page we take a look at some of the more unusual sports the world has to offer. This month we take an in-depth look at Buzkashi, a crazy sport from Afghanistan. Buzkashi, which literally translated means "goat grabbing", is the national sport of Afghanistan . Many historians believe that Buzkashi began with the Turkic-Mongol people, and it is indigenously shared by the people of Northern Afghanistan . There are two main types of Buzkashi, Tudabarai and Qarajai. Tudabarai is relatively simple compared with Qarajai, even though they share similar objectives.

In Buzkashi, a headless carcass is placed in the centre of a circle and surrounded by the players of two opposing teams. The object of the game is to get control of the carcass and bring it to the scoring area. Sound simple? Well, it's not. Only the most masterful players, (called chapandaz) ever even get close to the carcass. The competition is fierce, and the winner of a match receives prize ranging from money to fine turbans and clothes. In order for someone to become a chapandaz they must undergo a tremendous amount of difficult training and the best chapandaz, are usually over the age of forty. Buzkashi is definitely not a game for the weak. The players are not the only ones who undergo arduous training; the horses that participate in buzkashi must train for five years before ever making it to the playing field. Buzkashi is indeed a dangerous sport, but intensive training and excellent communication between the horse and rider can help minimize the risk of injury. In each version of the game, points are awarded for successfully completing the task of getting control of the carcass, and getting it to the proper scoring area. To many Afghans, Buzkashi is not just a game, it is a way of life. And a good way to use all those headless goat corpses that are lying around, I guess!