Sabantuy – the Plough Holiday – is an old Tatar tradition. Originally inhabitants of a settlement or several villages held it before spring sowing. In the twentieth century it became a tradition to hold Sabantuy after spring field works.
On the eve of Sabantuy youths on trimmed horses went around the village, gathering gifts for the winner of different contests and Sabantui games. Embroidered towels, table-cloths, kerchiefs were fastened to a special pole. This custom has been observed for centuries and is still alive. The festival is held in suitable meadows, forest clearings and nowadays even in the stadiums. Representatives of all nationalities of the region take part in it. It consists of various contests, games, singing and dancing, eating and drinking. In the course of time Sabantuy was enriched with different kinds of competitions. During these festivities you can watch volley-ball competitions, chess and draughts tournaments, table-tennis and weight-lifting contests. And the winners’ prizes are not limited only to embroidered towels. However, the main events of Sabantuy are still the national wrestling – kuresh – and horse-races. Sabantuy, rich in merriment and humour, is held nowadays nearly in all the regions of the planet where the Tatars live in large numbers. Everyone can be either a spectator or a participant of any contest.