HYDERABAD: Eager spectators burst into applause as Black, a majestic horse ridden by a police sub-inspector, landed softly on the grass field. Meanwhile, the SI affectionately patted his horse and went to the back of the line for the next round.
Aiming to promote a culture of sports among police and also honour the mounted police duty tradition, the opening ceremony for the 42nd All India Police Equestrian Championship & Mounted Police Duty Meet was held here at the SVP National Police Academy on Tuesday.
The championship, scheduled to be held till January 5, 2024, has reportedly recorded the highest-ever participation in the police equestrian events conducted in India thus far.
As many as 22 equestrian teams comprising 610 participants and 340 horses from various state police forces, central armed police forces and central police organisations from across the country will be participating in the championship. In another first, 14 women participants are participating in the championship.
“There will be both individual and team events. For today, the first event is the six bar jump,” Akbar, course designer of the championship and former police equestrian, told TNIE. “Police officers from across India get trained from their states and compete in the championship every year,” he added. The equestrian championship will also hold events like tent pegging, dressage and one-day eventing. The mounted police duty meet will have events such as the police horse test, quadrille, medley relay, mental hazards, syce and farrier test.
While the event was started to encourage police officers to participate in sports and improve their performance through competition, the championship also aims to identify new talent for national and international representation.