Scores of horse lovers thronged University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) to have the delight of four-day national tent championship began at the Tent Pegging Stadium, UAF on Thursday.
UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Iqbal Zafar and Deputy Commissioner Salman Ghani inaugurated the event. The event was arranged by the Equestrian Federation of Pakistan in collaboration with UAF. In championship, 125 teams comprising 500 tent peggers are taking part. The day witnessed tent pegging by riders waving spears to collect the wooden peg amid clouds of dust rising from the grounds. The rider hanging halfway down while galloping with high speed to lift the piece of wood with spear is a main source of attraction for speculators. UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Iqbal Zafar said that tent pegging was a traditional sport. He added that that mounted troops (cavalry) have practised tent pegging since 4th century BC. It was spread to various part of the world by Asian and later European empires. He said that event attracted the best tent-peggers across the country. Here, riders use their skill to line up their lance with the peg and it provided an opportunity to the students to witness and take part in the sport activity. He added that tent pegging had become a permanent feature of UAF sports activities. He said that UAF had set up a horse riding school to provide the training of horse riding. Deputy Commissioner Salman Ghani lauded the holding of the such national tent pegging championship here at the UAF. He remarked that district government was making all out-efforts and tangible measures to promote sport and cultural activities. He added that state-of-the-art gymnasiums were being established in every tehsils. The activities will revive our cultural and rational sports at the time when such things are fading away. He was of the view that tent pegging is the historical game of the subcontinent. He said that despite Iqbal Stadium, three more flood light sports arena were being set up. He praised the UAF administration for flourishing the healthy activities that will bring tangible results among the students and community. Terming tent-pegging the most popular equestrian sports, he said that it was extremely popular in subcontinent till post-second World War. He added that after independence, tent pegging appeared as one of the prime sports and cultural activity. It gained acclaimed popularity among horse lovers and the rural folk kept the game alive. UAF Directorate of Farms Director Dr Farooq Ahmad said that tent pegging was being played at national level in the nineteen countries of the world. Later, they visited the Lok mela at the Directorate of Farms. In which rural colors of the life were set up that was organized by UAF professor Dr. Shehzad Masood Ahmad Basra.