Chandigarh, Dec 20(ANI): The Indian Army recently hosted a horse show in Chandigarh to promote the sport and as an image building exercise among civilians.
The three-day long Chandigarh Horse Show was organized with the support of the Equestrian Federation of India.
The event attracted over 200 riders from Punjab, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, who thrilled the audiences with their performances in jumping and tent pegging.
Teams from the Indian Military Academy, the Presidents Body Guards and various commands of the Indian Army competed in the show for glory.
"Riding is a very daredevil sport and this will not only increase the level of participation at shows, but will also bring about awareness about the Army and that's our main aim and with this view Lt. General TK Sapru, Army Commander desired that we must put up a show in the heart of the town for the civilians and the military and paramilitary forces to come and participate as not only means of entertainment, but also as a camaraderie between civil and the army," said Major General Kamal Mohe, organizer of the event.
The event gave plenty of exposure to young riders, as many children, who have taken up equestrian sports due to the training facilities available in Chandigarh, showcased their ability.
Equestrian experts feel that youngsters are now keen about the sports as their parents are ready to spend the required amount of money for their training.
Tashna Sidhu, a rider, said that the participants were thrilled with the exposure through this show.
"I think if you start controlling a horse, you gain confidence and you have that tough thing in yourself that you can do it," Sidhu said.
Major Krishan Yadav, another participant, said: "Chandigarh, it is yet to come up to that level whereas in Bangalore, Calcutta and Delhi you will find this is the nodal point for the equestrian."
"In the recent years, a lot of civilians have become interested in the sport. People are spending a lot of money buying horses from abroad and horses costs 40 to 50 lakhs but people are willing to spend that much money and invest in the sport because there is a bright future for the sport," Yadav added.
For the last four consecutive years, the Indian Armed Forces have been motivating young riders to professionally adopt equestrian sports.
And, it is evident that their efforts have paid off as number of participants has been increasing each year in the event.
The participants are not just from Chandigarh, but also areas like Bathinda, Patiala and many other parts of Punjab.
The event has also provided encouragement to youngsters from neighbouring states. By Sunil Sharma (ANI)
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