Held by Energy Resources LLC in Tsogttsetsii soum, Umnugobi aimag, for the fifth time, the festival is not only a celebration of the Ukhaa Khudag development and the great work that has followed it, but also an occasion that gives local people the chance to honour their mountains, waters and homeland together and to revive the traditions of statehood.
At the Ukhaa Khudag 2017 festival, held on 4–5 August, wrestlers, distinguished trainers and expert archers from across the region came to compete. In the wrestling, 64 wrestlers took to the field, with National Falcon B. Gankhuyag first and National Falcon J. Gantulga runner-up; in the archery competition more than 70 marksmen with national and aimag titles competed, and in the men’s adult category Master of Sport of Mongolia and aimag Marksman B. Lkhagvadorj took first place, while in the women’s adult category Marksman of Mongolia D. Norjmaa led the field. In the horse racing, 208 fast horses in five age categories raised the dust; in the senior category the dun and the chestnut of trainer N. Byambatsogt from Tsogttsetsii soum, Umnugobi aimag, came first and second in succession, to their trainer’s delight. In the two-year-old race the fine chestnut colt of trainer N. Amgalan from Tsogttsetsii soum, Umnugobi aimag, came first and the white colt of trainer D. Bat-Erdene from Khuld soum, Dundgobi aimag, was second; among the five-year-olds the black horse of trainer N. Sanjaa from Tugrug soum, Uvurkhangai aimag, came first and the brown of trainer E. Tseveenravdan from Delgerkhangai soum, Dundgobi aimag, was second. In the four-year-old category the chestnut “Usgii tsagaan” of trainer N. Byambatsogt from Tsogttsetsii soum, Umnugobi aimag, came first and the grey of trainer B. Jamyanjav from Tsogttsetsii soum, Umnugobi aimag, was second, while among the three-year-olds the chestnut-brown of trainer B. Lkhagva-Ochir from Khuld soum, Dundgobi aimag, came first and the white of trainer N. Sumyaasuren from Erdenedalai soum, Dundgobi aimag, was second, to the delight of the crowd.
Many local performers took part in the Ukhaa Khudag festival — the Tsetsii Jonon morin khuur ensemble, pupils of the arts school of Khankhongor soum and artists of the aimag’s culture and arts centre — promoting the heritage of the Gobi with its rich history and culture. Selecting and rewarding the finest couple in full national dress from among the festival crowd, a tradition intended to revive the fine old customs of the Mongolian people, has now become one of the festival’s notable features. At the opening of the festival and the traditional evening entertainment, leading young artists — Leading Cultural Worker of Mongolia the singer A. Tumen-Ulzii, E. Chuluunchimeg, the actor L. Surult and the band 3 Girls — performed their songs, adding to the celebration and delighting the crowd.