The first ever horse-riding show and regional equestrian meet is underway in Arunachal Pradesh’s Chimpu as part of its 33rd Statehood Day celebration on Wednesday.
The three-day event is underway at the 1st AAP battalion ground in Chimpu.
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The event, organized by the Arunachal Pradesh Equestrian Association (APEA), featured a tent-pegging display aimed at promoting equestrian sport in the state.
Young students from Tezpur (Assam)-based Assam Valley School participated in show jumping competitions in different categories, reports The Arunachal Times.
In the show jumping Children I category, Lakhan Mittal came first with his horse Corleone. Karan Ngatay Bam and Yuvraj Surekha tied for the second place, while Keshav Mour came fourth.
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Anikaith A Joshi came first in the show jumping Children II category with his equine Pickpocket, while Prashuk Jain came second.
The key participants in the event are the NCC, the Assam Police, the Lohitpur ITBP, the Assam Rifles, the Indian Army’s 3 Corps and 4 Corps, the Equestrian Federation of Assam, and Assam Valley School.
A total of 119 riders and 38 horses are performing in the event.
Attending the inaugural event, Deputy CM Chowna Mein urged the APEA to take forward the sport “as the state has a wide scope for adventure sports and such sports have the potential to attract tourists.”
He commended the participants for coming to the state. He congratulated the organizers, and assured support from the state government in introducing the sport.
Chief Secretary Satya Gopal said the first ever equestrian meet and the foundation of the APEA “marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the state.”
“This meet shall serve as a platform to kindle the interest of the youths towards equestrian sport and horse-riding. To encourage participants, the chief minister and the deputy chief minister have decided to give away medals in the top three categories, and honorariums to all the participating teams,” Gopal said.
He also remembered the martyrs of the Pulwama attack.
Briefing about the event, Capital Complex Deputy Commissioner Prince Dhawan said that “with the beginning of the event, the state will now witness the growth of the equestrian sport in the state.”
The jury members of the event are retired brigadier KS Rao from the Remount and Veterinary Corps, retired IPS officers S Ramakrishna and BK Dey, and ITBP Commandant (Veterinary) Dr Tekchand.