GOLDEN EAGLE FESTIVAL

RACING through the mountain range on horseback, the Kazakh people practice their ancient tradition of hunting with golden eagles. Soaring through the air at 200mph, the eagles race to reach their keeper, in order to win first place in an annual festival, which celebrates the heritage of the Kazakh people. The Golden Eagle festival is held every October in Bayan-Olgii, a province in western Mongolia. Belgian photographer and software developer Stefan Cruysberghs captured the photographs when he travelled to the region to witness the occasion first-hand.