Turkmenistan is preparing to celebrate the annual Turkmen Alabay Day in October 2026. This year’s celebration will be the first since the traditional breeding of the breed was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Turkmen Alabay Day is celebrated every year on the last Sunday of October. In 2026, this falls on 25 October.
The Alabay as part of the world’s cultural heritage
At the end of 2025, the “Art of breeding Turkmen alabay” was officially inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The decision was adopted during the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in New Delhi.
UNESCO describes the Alabay as a breed distinguished by its strong build, loyalty, guarding abilities and calm temperament. The organisation highlights not only the breed itself, but also the knowledge and practices accumulated over generations in breeding and raising these dogs.
These include traditions associated with the birth and naming of puppies, caring for the animals and passing knowledge from one generation to the next.
The international “Ýylyň türkmen edermen alabaýy” competition
One of the central elements of the celebration is traditionally the international “Ýylyň türkmen edermen alabaýy” competition, whose name can be translated as “Brave Turkmen Alabay of the Year”.
The competition brings together selected representatives of the breed, assessed on their ancestry, physical characteristics, training and behaviour.
In recent years, parallel competitions have also been held for artistic portrayals of the Turkmen Alabay. Participants include painters, sculptors, carpet makers, photographers, publishers and representatives of television media.
The competition forms part of Turkmenistan’s broader efforts to preserve the purity of the breed and promote it internationally.
What prizes are awarded?
The prize for the winner of the main competition is traditionally substantial. At the 2025 edition, the owner of the winning Alabay received a white Toyota Camry V6 on the instructions of the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov.
In 2025, first place was awarded to the Alabay Wepaly. The celebration also honoured winners in the creative categories of carpet making, painting, sculpture, publishing and television production.
For the 2026 competition, no winner has yet been announced and no prizes have been awarded, as Turkmen Alabay Day is still to take place on 25 October.
A new status following UNESCO recognition
The 2026 celebration has additional significance because it will be the first Turkmen Alabay Day since UNESCO’s international recognition of the tradition.
The organisation’s 2025 decision highlights the knowledge and practices of communities that have bred and cared for Alabay dogs for centuries. According to UNESCO, the tradition involves people of different generations and helps transmit knowledge and cultural practices.
Following the inscription in December 2025, a special ceremony was held in Ashgabat to present the UNESCO certificate. It also featured demonstrations of well-known Turkmen Alabay dogs and winners of the “Ýylyň türkmen edermen alabaýy” competition.
The traditional celebration in 2026 will therefore take place in the context of officially recognised intangible cultural heritage of international significance.
What comes next?
In accordance with established tradition, Turkmen Alabay Day will be celebrated on 25 October 2026.
The main events are expected to include presentations of representatives of the breed and the selection of the winner of the annual “Ýylyň türkmen edermen alabaýy” competition.
After the event, the 2026 winner, the other award recipients and the prizes designated for this year’s competition will become known.