Turkmenistan's president thrown from horse after winning race

Turkmenistan's president, a known horse enthusiast, won US$11 million by coming first in a race organized to celebrate domestic horse breeding. The triumph was marred by a fall right after the finish line, news which the government tried to suppress.

Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov took part in last week's Day of the Turkmen Racehorse by taking to the saddle and competing with six other riders. The president chose a horse of his favorite Akhal-Teke breed to be pitted against other breeds.

All the riders in the race were at least 30 years old and were competing for a prize fund provided by the owners of the horses. The president, 55, and his racehorse Berkarar, reached the finish line less than a second ahead of the second-placed jockey. Skeptics were quick to accuse organizers of fixing the race.

The victory however proved to be costly for the Turkmen leader. Just meters after the finish line his horse apparently stumbled, and Berdymukhamedov dived over its head and fell face-first into the turf. The development apparently caused several tense minutes for his security staff and cabinet members, who rushed on to the racetrack in their dozens.

An ambulance arrived minutes later and took the president away. However about an hour later he was in good enough shape to appear at the event once more, so apparently the fall didn't cause any serious injuries. Witnesses however say Berdymukhamedov was restrained in his movements as he waved to the spectators of the race day.

Local media in the Central Asian country didn't mention the fall while reporting the president's victory, stopping the footage as he crossed the finish line. However the uncut version quickly leaked to the internet. Some online media said the footage surfaced despite attempts by security personnel to confiscate all copies made by the hundreds of people attending the event.

The Turkmen president's office said he plans to spend the $11 million of prize money on developing the Turkmen horse breeding industry.

on.rt.com...

"This is my sister, number 2 prostitute in all Turkmanistan!!"

Sorry, couldn't resist.

hmm...
remember when us president carter fell during a marathon he had entered and...

For some interesting reading, search: Turkmenistan megalomaniac...

This guy apparently holds the top spot for: 10 Mad Dictators From 20th and 21st Century

And the prize for the greatest megalomaniac in the world goes to ...

Turkmenistan's security agencies reportedly went into high gear to try to block video or images of the president's fall from slipping out to the rest of the world. The opposition-in-exile group Gundogar cited witnesses as saying police were carefully checking the computers, tablets, mobile phones and cameras of departing passengers at Ashgabat's airport.

The choreographed winning of the race — the nearest challenger was obviously throttling back his mount in the home stretch — the media censorship and the reported tough security response at the airport all reflect Turkmenistan's two decades of stifling authoritarianism.

www.foxnews.com...

The President-for-life of Turkmenistan has essentially turned himself into a quasi-deity. He has rewritten the history books , named the months of the year after members of his family and now of course, is building a huge pyramid in his own honor and to his own glory. This is an exact parallel to Nimrod of the Babylonian tower , the egyptian pharoahs as deities and the 666 antichrist that wishes to become "like unto God".

President Nyazov Turkmenbashi ( last name means father of the turkmen - by which all citizens are required to call him) has a Gold statue of himself which always faces the sun by rotating in synchronicity with it.

We have therefore a megalomaniacal leader who worships the sun , has a golden statue of himself on an arch and is now building a huge pyramid for himself like the egyptian pharoahs. I.E.; What we therefore conclude is he is ILLUMINATI...

www.scoreboard-canada.com...

Niyazov took it upon himself to create the country in a new image: his own. First, he took the name Turkmenbashi (Leader of All Ethnic Turkmen) and declared himself President for Life. Since then, he’s undertaken scores of self-aggrandizing – and bizarre – measures to make Turkmenistan a very unique place: › The airport in the capital city of Asgabat was renamed … Turkmenbashi.

Dozens of streets and schools across the country are now called … Turkmenbashi. › In 1998 a 670-pound meteorite landed in Turkmenistan. Scientist named it … Turkmenbashi. › The name of the large port city Krasnovodsk was changed to … Turkmenbashi. › The New president also renamed the months. January is now called … Turkmenbashi. April is called Gurbansoltan edzhe, after his mother.

The image of Turkmenbashi’s face is used as the logo of all three state-run TV stations, and is legally required to appear on every clock and watch face as well as on every bottle of Turkmenbashi brand vodka.

In 2001 Turkmenbashi wrote a book. It is now required to be prominently displayed in all bookstores and government offices, and next to the Koran in mosques. Memorization of the book is required to graduate from school and to get a state job or even a driver’s license. Schoolchildren spend one entire day every week reading it.

www.neatorama.com...