Jerid, in other words Çavgan, is a traditional game Turkish people played for hundreds of years. Turks brought this game, which is played on horse, with them from Middle Asia to Anatolia. Horses are essential and sacred animals for Turks. Turks was born on horse, grew up on horse, fight on horse and died on horse. The horse milk, koumiss, was the unique drink of Turks. The game jerid was the biggest sporting and ceremonial game of Turks. Later, it was excepted as a war game by Ottoman Turks in 16th century. In 19th century, it became the biggest show sport and game in all Ottoman countries and Ottoman palaces. The game jerid was forbidden by II. Mahmoud as it was a dangerous game. But then it spread out all around as the most popular war and arena game of Ottoman country.
Turks, that were living in central Asia, invented Jerid on riding to maintain their horses and soldiers fitness up by training them mentally and physically. Most striking trait of this game is forgiving the opponent during attacking position. This kind of application can�t be observed at any other sport style. If rider loses his guard ability, and other one has the chance to kick him, this is a position hawing two alternatives; forgive or attack. Attacking is the point awerded action but generally stronger one choses less point and forgive his opponent. It is a moral approach speciality of Turks and this game.
When the Turkish people poured westwards from their Central Asian homelands in the 11th century, they came on horseback into Anatolia, the land which the poet Nazim Hikmet described as �stretching like a mare�s head into the Mediterranean�. The horse, which played a central role in Turkish life in the Central Asian steppes, was probably first ridden and harnessed to vehicles in the area between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea northeast of Anatolia. The Turks brought not only their horses to Anatolia but many related aspects of their culture, one being the equestrian sport known as cirit or jereed. Cirit is a means of improving equestrian skills, and involves two teams of horsemen, each armed with a dried date, oak or poplar stick. These sticks are 70-100 cm in length and 2-3 cm in diameter, with blunt ends.
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