Imphal: The 17th Ningthoukhongjam Tombi State Equestrian Championships, 2024, organized by the Manipur Equestrian Association, which started on January 28, concluded on Wednesday at the Manipuri Pony Breeding Farm, Lamphelpat.
Fourteen Equestrian Clubs of the state represented altogether by 19 boys, 19 women and 99 senior riders in the form of 23 teams participated in the Championship. On the final day, Chingkhei Hunba Polo Club emerged the overall team champion while Imphal Riding Club won the runner up title.
One significant addition in the State Equestrian Championships this year is the Arambai Target Throw and Arambai Distance Throw. It may be recalled that Arambai was introduced in the National Games held in Imphal in the year 1999.
The championships included Junior Boys’, Women’s and Senior Men’s Show Jumping. The tent pegging lance individual was held for Junior Boys, Women’s and Senior Men’s. The tent pegging sword individual was held for Senior Men’s. For the team event, tent pegging lance for both men’s and women’s was also held.
The Closing Ceremony was attended by Dr Th Charanjeet Singh, Director IPR and H. Deleep Singh, (Retd) President Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association as the chief guest and the president respectively. Golap Boruah, Chairman, North East Indigenous People’s Forum, Dr S Joykumar former President Manipur Equestrian Association and N Radhapyari Associate Professor (Retd) were the guests of hHonour.
Golap Boruah said that the indigenous sports and the spirit of competitions, which have continued for thousands of year make the state of Manipur a great leader in the North Eastern Region.
“Manipur has retained all the traditional values. We should have the will to conserve our our environment and indigenous people’s traditional and cultural values cannot be compromised in the name of development, ” Golap Boruah said.
Dr Th Charanjeet Singh recalled the ancestral sports involving Manipuri ponies besides the utility of the animal for other purposes. He hailed the performances of the young riders, particularly their enthusiasm in keeping a tradition alive in these difficult times.
“The initiatives taken up the Manipur Equestrian Association to conduct the state level equestrian championships is laudable, ” Dr Charanjeet said.
In his Presidential address, H Deleep Singh mentioned that rearing the Manipuri Ponies is a serious challenge today. The sports persons have given a new hope that the ponies will survive. The endeavours of the Manipur Equestrian Association, Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association with the Manipuri Pony Society in organising Polo tournament, equestrian championships and owning up the responsibility of the affairs of the ponies will go a long way.
Dr Th Debendra Kumar Singh, Organising Secretary of the Championships expressed gratitude to all the riders and the equestrian associations of the state who took part in the events in the difficult times. He mentioned that equestrian events and Polo tournaments can be organised in the dry seasons only. While congratulating the winners, he thanked all the members of the Organising Committee who made the event a grand success.
