Dec 28: The National Tent Pegging Championship 2007 got underway with the chief minister of Manipur Okram Ibobi Singh formally inaugurated the five-day event at the Imphal Polo Ground here on Thursday.
A total of six teams are vying in the eight events to claim the championship title. Army Service Corps, Border Security Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, Assam Rifles, Punjab Police and hosts Manipur are participating in the tournament that concludes on December 31.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Ibobi Singh expressed his concern over the declining number of Manipur ponies and also raised his voice for their safeguard, as Polo is the state game of Manipur.
The minister also said that Manipur Equestrian Association has been provided the amount of Rs 19 lakh by the state government to purchase the horses for the competition.
In addition the state government had already allotted 30 acres of land at Lamphelpat for the Manipur Pony Breeding Farm. Though, the equestrian sport is new to Manipur state but the people are well aware of the traditional game of polo.
The minister also praised the efforts of the Equestrian Federation of India for organising a game of such degree in Imphal. It will certainly popularise the game among the masses.
Minister of Youth affairs and sports in Manipur N. Biren Singh also showed great amount of confidence that after this equestrian event, the particular sport will get a major boost in the state with the holding of the tent pegging and other International competitions are lining up in the coming days.
The Equestrian Federation along with Manipur Equestrian Association will be organising the International Tent Pegging Championship in January next year and All India Police Equestrian Meet 2008 from January 4 to 9 at the very same venue.
A march past followed by a traditional Manipuri polo exhibition match and cultural programmes were the attraction of the opening day function.
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