Ride of their lives
Kazak couple mark national milestone as they get into the saddle for epic equestrian expedition across the country, Alexis Hooi reports.
"Horses are an integral part of our community and this was the best way for us to show all of that," he says.
The couple had a van in tow to help with supplementary transport and supplies, but their trip, traversing the mountains, desert and plains of Xinjiang, the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Gansu province and other northern areas, relied on their two horses－Jayna's Shawan White and Khuanbek's Tacheng Red.
The Kazak steeds, which belong to breeds famous for being nimble and tough, successfully carried the husband and wife across the daunting climate and terrain.
Along the way, crowds of residents, who had heard about the duo passing by, would drive out to meet the riders, welcoming them with celebrations, food and drink, according to local media.
After arriving in Beijing and resting their horses at stables in the suburbs of the capital, the couple made it a point to view the national flag-raising ceremony in Tian'anmen Square. They also visited other iconic places like the Badaling section of the Great Wall.
Jayna also posted and livestreamed their life-changing equestrian experiences on social media, garnering more than 300,000 fans.
"We had many opportunities to carry commercials, but we didn't want to profit from this and stray from our original intention of celebrating the centenary our way, to carry our ethnic group's good wishes and love for the motherland," she says.
