Bakhmaro Horse Race: 16 Tips for First-Time Attendees

Bakhmaro, a picturesque mountain resort in Guria’s Chokhatauri municipality on the slopes of the Meskheti Range, is home to the annual Bakhmaro Horse Race – almost a century-old tradition. 

This charming village at 2,050 meters above sea level with wooden cottages dotted on the slopes and surrounded by lush fir forests, breathtaking mountain ranges, and crystal-clear rivers, has been a summer getaway for primarily Chokhatauri residents and rest of the country locals, but it rarely gets on the radar of the average tourists.

Its natural beauty, fresh air, and unique climate merge air from the Black Sea with the mountain air, making Bakhmaro a remarkable destination with healing properties, especially for those with respiratory issues. 

Apart from the Bakhmaro Horse Race, the resort is also famous for its Sunrise and Sunset mountains, where you experience a unique natural phenomenon of the sun rising from or dipping into the sea of clouds. 

While many people come here in summer to relax and spend their holidays, the annual Bakchmaro Cup also drives many spectators from the surrounding villages, municipalities, and the rest of the country to watch Georgia’s best jockeys compete on the most challenging terrain and win the Cup.

I have always wanted to attend this iconic race I have heard so much about, but for various reasons, I couldn’t. I finally managed in 2024. It was something I was unprepared for. It was the most chaotic and unsafe event I have ever attended in Georgia. Unlike Lelo Burti, the fierce ball game in Guria’s Lanchkhuti municipality, the Bakhmaro Horse Race raised my stress and anxiety levels. 

That said, the Bakhmaro Cup is an experience of its own worth attending, so I decided to write a post highlighting tips on attending the race and what to expect. 

History of the Bakhmaro Horse Race and Gurian horseback riders

Bakhmaro Doghi, as we Georgians call it, started in the 1930s and has been an annual championship ever since. Only World War II and the COVID pandemic interrupted this yearly tradition. 

A few dozen riders from Guria, Samegrelo, Adjara, and other parts of the country participate in the event. Each year, the number of competitors and the monetary prize increases. Bakhmaro Horce Race 2024 saw about 70 professional and ameture jockeys. For them, winning the Bakhmaro Cup is a matter of honor. 

The foundation of the race can be traced to the notorious Gurians for their reckless horse riding, which got them into European and American Buffalo Bill’s Wild West shows in 1892 for almost 30 years.

The history of Gurian trick riders started in England when they performed at Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. Their popularity led them to perform in Windsor in front of Queen Victoria and later move to the USA. 

Back then, Georgia was part of the Russian Empire, and Gurian riders were referred to as Russian Cossacks, mainly because being part of Czarist Russia meant that everyone was Russian. 

Gurian riders were known for doing the most unbelievable stunts while galloping – standing on the saddle (on their feet and hands) facing horse’s tails, chasing each other to catch a handkerchief carried in their mouth, and even unsaddling and saddling it back while riding. Read more about the riders here.

It is safe to say that Bakhmaro Doghi continues this centuries-old tradition, but without tricks, and has become part of the cultural heritage for many Georgians.  

16 Things to Know Before You Attend Bakhmaro Cup

After attending the Bakhmaro Horse Race, I realized you need to know a few essential tips to have a safe and enjoyable experience. 

This section provides key considerations, from transportation to timing, understanding the rules, taking safety precautions, and where to watch the race from. 

The Bakhmaro Horse Race happens on the Feast of the Transfiguration Day

On August 19, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Feast of the Transfiguration, or Persitsvaleba (change of colors) in Georgian. According to local beliefs, this is also a day when summer ends and autumn begins. 

For Bakhmaro, it means the end of the summer season, and celebrating with the historic horse race is the way to mark it. 

The race starts mid-day, at 2 pm, while the jockeys begin to register on the spot from noon. 

You don’t have to stay overnight for the race

You can attend the Bakhmaro Doghi as a day trip from Chokhatauri, Ozurgeti, or Lanchkhuti. However, if you decide to stay, you can fully immerse yourself in what Bakhmaro Resort offers, see and do a few things without crowds, and have a more relaxing getaway. 

Most of the accommodation in Bakhmaro consists of A-frame cabins that are rented out mostly for the entire season and often get booked early in spring. There are a handful of hotels/cabins in the area, including Pioneers, Bakhmaro Continent, Panorama Bakhmaro, Whispering Pines, and Bakhmaro INN, to name a few. 

We were staying in my village of Bukistsikhe in Chokhatauri municipality, so we decided to do a day trip instead.

Bring cash for small purchases

Even though there is a Bank of Georgia ATM at the Hotel Pioneers, I still suggest withdrawing money in Chokhatauri or elsewhere. It still is a cash economy in rural Georgia, so having cash is essential for small purchases from local sellers at the market or the stalls. 

Bakhmaro has minimum amenities

Even though Bakhmaro is a popular climatic resort in Georgia, its amenities are still very basic. A few small grocery stores are available in the center and a pharmacy. 

A few years back, my sister and her daughters spent two weeks in Bakhmaro, and she had difficulty securing some groceries and produce. Moreover, considering the transportation, products have higher prices. 

It’s also worth mentioning that Bakhmaro does not have an official water supply. The cabins and hotels have tanks to accumulate water from the river streams of the area. 

It’s better to drive a car than rely on public transport

If you are coming to Bakhmaro only for the race, it is better to do so by car than by marshrutka. I recommend Local Rent for a wide range of vehicles and affordable car rental prices. 

Marshrutka leaves from Chokhatauri Bus Station in front of Socar gas station at 10 am, 12:20 pm, 2:30 pm, and 4 pm during the season. Unfortunately, I don’t have a schedule for returning to Chokhatauri, but I am sure the driver will be able to give you an answer. 

If you take 10 am marshrutka, you’ll be able to get there on time, but I assume it will be packed as everyone wants to attend the race. 

Having your own car means you are flexible enough to do more sightseeing along the way, which I list at the end of the post. Moreover, it will take less time than a marshrutka. However, remember to take it slow on the zigzag-y road to not overheat your engine. We saw at least a dozen cars parked on the side of the road with their bonnets up. 

I advise you to leave as early as possible to avoid the traffic on the road. Once you get to the entrance of Bakhmaro, there’s a chance impatient (the nice way of saying it) Georgians will be driving on the opposite side of the road to quickly get to the village, which obviously jams the traffic. 

Fill up the tank before leaving Chokhatuari

If you are driving to Bakhmaro, remember to fill up the tank in Chokhatauri town, as there is no gas station in the resort. This ensures you don’t face any problems along the way. 

Bakhmaro’s church will hold a morning service

If you get there early enough, you can even catch the Peristsvaleba mass in the beautiful wooden church lodged on a small hill at the beginning of the village. 

There’s not much to do before the race

People start to gather slowly from noon, heading down to the bed of the Bakhvistskali River, where the race happens. Once you cross the bridge, you’ll notice a few vans and stalls selling various products, from homemade cheese to wooden carved cradles, tiny horses, or trosti – a walking stick. 

On the other side of the river, towards one of the settlements on the valley at Chokhatuari-Bakhmaro road, there’s a small park with a stage set up for the ceremony and a concert after the race. 

Compared to Lelo Burti, there was no appealing market for selling local produce, at least when we stopped before the event. Maybe they reopened after the race (we didn’t come back after), but I was slightly disappointed as I was looking forward to buying something. All I could get was a Gurian Churchkhela, called Janjukha in the local dialect.  

Wander around the village instead before the race

When planning a visit to Bakhmaro Doghi, I relied on the Facebook event page, which said it started at 1 pm. Once we got there, we secured spots at the starting spot and realized it wouldn’t begin soon. 

I rechecked the event to see if it had been postponed to 2 pm. Having the spot and seeing more and more people trying to be close to the starting line, I didn’t want to lose it. 

However, after the event, I realized that’s the worst place to be (I’ll explain why below), so take my advice and wander around admiring charming wooden cottages and cabins dotted on the slopes. 

The place’s popularity brought many new hotels and guesthouses, mostly of concrete rather than wooden, but dozens of cute old wooden houses do remain. You need to scout for them. 

Start and Finish lines are at the same spot

The Bakhmaro Horse Race has a circular track, where start and finish are at the same spot on Pioneer Street. It is marked on Google Maps as the Doghi Finish line.

It’s also easy to identify as the track is lined with banners of sponsor companies, and the start/finish line has a tall wooden arch with a horse rider logo on the top center. 

The Cup has only a few rules

The Bakhmaro Doghi is held in the bed of the Bakhviskali River in an open space on stony terrain. The circular track requires the participants to cross the river twice and ride on both riverbanks. 

Anyone can participate in the race, be it a professional or an amateur, a man, a woman, or a child.  On the last race, I noticed a person joining the participants who hadn’t registered officially, but I guess he wanted to try it out?!

The race has four categories based on distance and the horse breed. As far as I understand, there is no limit for one competitor to participate in several categories, but the horse needs to be different. I have seen a few of the same riders competing in two or three categories. Unfortunately, I don’t know how to recognize horse breeds. 

Each category has three winners, and each gets a monetary price based on who crosses the finish line the first, second, and third. The total monetary prize amount for this year was 16,000 GEL. The categories are as follows:

• Nabeghlavi Cup – 1,200 meters – half-bred horses – 1,300 GEL for the first place
• Guria Cup – 2,400 – regional breed horses only – 1,600 GEL for the first place
• Hero’s Cup – 2,400 meters – mixed bred horses – 1,600 GEL for the first place
• Bakhmaro Cup – 4,800 meters – the most prestigious category open for all breeds – 6,000 GEL for the first place

The initial circular track is around 1,200 meters, meaning that for the rest of the categories, the jockeys should cross the start/finish line two, three, and four times, respectively, to become winners.

The Bakhmaro Cup 2024 winner became Tornike Todria with a horse named Elsa from Ozurgeti. 

Safety precautions are minimal

I was astonished at the minimal safety precautions for the visitors, especially the participants. It was not mandatory for a jockey to wear any equipment or special clothing. Some riders rode in jeans and sneakers, and many rode without a helmet or goggles. Only a few competitors were dressed in proper clothing and equipment. 

For the visitors, only a partial fence was made from banners from Nabekhlavi and Bakhmaro company (main sponsors and organizers of the Cup), and some parts of the track had a single ribbon to separate it from the viewers.

Unfortunately, injuries happen in the race due to the safety, stressed-out horses, or rugged terrain. In 2024, two riders were unseated by the horse as they raced; one was seriously injured. 

Be prepared for the most chaotic event ever

As I said earlier, attending Bakhmaro Doghi was the most stressful event I have ever attended in Georgia. And the reason for this is not the race itself but locals populating the track and mixing with the riders for whatever reason – to give them final thoughts, encourage or bless them, or just be cocky. 

Half of the visitors never left the race track with an excuse that they were cheering for their jockey or, in my opinion, had a first-raw view, compromising their safety. 

Several pretty stressed-out horses bucked a few times right in front of me, almost hitting people walking by on the track, and even though I was behind a “banner fence,” I had to step back a few times for my own safety. No one seemed to care, though.

I heard one of the youngest participants (about 12-14 years old) begging his assistant to tell people to leave the track. But they never did. 

At some point, we even saw a dog on the leash on the track, apparently “cheering for its owner’s horse” (?!), and a man holding a toddler standing on the race track!

Aside from this, it could have been more organized to understand when the race would start. There was no proper lineup for the participants at the start line, neither a shotgun. 

Only on the second or third race did I notice a thin black ribbon or a rope under that wooden arch being lowered to signify the start of the race!

This was barely visible for the jockeys standing at the back, and sometimes, reckless locals would shout out ‘start’, and others had to immediately shout to stop the racers from starting it by mistake. 

Don’t stand at the start/finish line

I made a massive mistake of standing at the start/finish line the entire time. Not only because I saw and witnessed some of the stupidest acts of humankind I mentioned above and stressed myself out but also because it was not a good place to enjoy the race. 

Moreover, this section of the race track is all dirt road, which gets dusty as the horses race at high speed. I was covered entirely in dust from top to bottom. 

Since it was my first time attending the Bakhmaro Cup and my initial thoughts were to take good photos, I thought this was the best spot to be in the heart of the action. I wish I moved away and found another place. 

Based on my own experience, if you don’t want to experience the chaos at the start/finish line and don’t care much about seeing the racers up close, I’d find a place near the bridge at the river where the race track makes a turn to go back to the starting line. Refer to the Google Maps image above to find a better spot.

Alternatively, find a place on the surrounding hills for an elevated view, which enables you to see the entire circular track from afar. 

The race doesn’t last long

Once the race starts at 2 pm, it continues fast, with no breaks between the categories, except for the time to mobilize the jockeys at the start line.

Expect the first three runs to finish in about 20 minutes. Then there is a 20-30 minute break before the Bakhmaro Cup final race, which lasts around five minutes. So, in total, the whole event lasted about an hour. 

Afterward, there is a ceremony on the stage for the winners and a concert for the attendees. We decided to leave to beat the traffic. Alternatively, if the weather is appropriate, you can hike Sunset Mountain for a breathtaking sunset below the sea of clouds. I explain more details about this in my Chokhatauri guide. 

Bring a few things with you

The race is held in an open space with no natural shade. There were about four tents for the spectators (already full of people when we arrived at noon) and one auditorium-like setting for the municipality representatives, guests, and the media. 

Besides that, you stand under direct sunlight; therefore, protecting yourself with a hat and sunscreen is essential. I didn’t bring my fedora and got a bit of sunburn. You might need to cross the Bakhvistskali River, so wear sandals if possible.

Pack lots of water and snacks to nibble on. I thought we could get something to eat at the market, like on Lelo Burti, but all I could find was a Churchkhela. A few stalls sold soft drinks and slushes. 

There are a few eateries in Bakhmaro, and you could grab a bite before the race. The most popular is the Hotel Pioneers restaurant. However, after the race, it was packed. 

You can also buy staff at one of the convenience stores or the market area in the upper part of the village. However, since we were already on the race tracks, I didn’t fancy going up and returning on a hot day.

Things to see and do on the way to/from Bakhmaro

You can refer to my Chokhatauri guide for more sightseeing in the area, but here are the highlights you can do on your way.

Sunday farmer’s market in Chokhatauri: Unlike Ozurgeti, Chokhatauri’s farmers’ market happens only on Sundays, offering a unique weekly experience. Locals from nearby villages gather to trade produce, including fruits, veggies, spices, tea, tobacco, homemade cheese, hazelnuts, honey, and more. You can even find livestock for sale.

Chaisubani for Soviet Mosaics: Chaisubani, meaning “tea district,” is a village en route to Bakhmaro, home to a beautifully preserved mosaic on the former Culture House.

The mosaic, set against a vibrant blue background, depicts the area’s folk and agricultural life, including tea, music, citrus, and viticulture. It uniquely features Lelo Burti, a sport once played by a renowned team in Chokhatauri, with photos displayed at the Local Lore Museum.

In front of the Culture House, a World War II memorial, now part of a church, remains intact, adorned with a mosaic fountain and bas-relief figures.

House-museum of Nodar Dumbadze in Khidistavi: Nodar Dumbadze, one of Georgia’s most beloved writers, is known for his hilarious and heartfelt novels. His house museum opened in 1994 in Khidistavi, showcases his personal items, books, and manuscripts, reflecting his deep connection to Guria. His acclaimed novel Granny, Iliko, Illarion, and I has been translated into many languages and adapted into film.

In Tbilisi, Mziuri Park, inspired by Dumbadze’s vision, features statues of his characters, offering activities for children—a dream he partially realized.

Nabeghlavi spring water right from the source: I prefer Nabeghlavi over Borjomi for its softer taste and gentler bubbles. The natural public spring, Barehole 2, is part of the Nabeghlavi factory grounds. It’s different from the bottled version.

Mosque at Chkhakoura village: Just off Bakhmaro Road, the Chkhakoura Mosque is a unique site in Guria, where mosques are rare compared to neighboring Adjara.

Built in the 20th century by Adjarians who settled here after the 1877-1878 Russo-Turkish war, the mosque survived a demolition attempt in the 1930s due to local opposition. Recently renovated, the mosque is still active, though its once-colorful wooden interior I’ve seen on Google Maps listing, has been changed. 

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