Tent pegging

Tent pegging (sometimes spelled tent-pegging or tentpegging) is a cavalry sport of ancient origin, and is
one of only ten equestrian disciplines officially recognised by the International Equestrian Federation. Used
narrowly, the term refers to a specific mounted game with ground targets. More broadly, it refers to the
entire class of mounted cavalry games involving pointed and edged weapons (lance and sword) on
horseback, for which the term "equestrian skill-at-arms" is also used.

Tent pegging

At Ecoivres, France, a cavalryman

displays his tent-pegging skills at a
Horse show organised by the XIII British
Corps, 20 June 1917.

Origin

Cavaliers have practised the specific game of tent

pegging since at least the 4th century BC.
Eurasian empires spread the game around the
world. As a result, the game's date and location of
origin are ambiguous.[1] One of the founders of the International Tent
Pegging Federation, Malik Ata Muhammad Khan, with
In all accounts, the competitive sport evolved out his Lance at the Ranger Ground Lahore, 2012
of cavalry training exercises designed to develop
cavaliers' prowess with the sword and lance from Highest International Tent
governing body Pegging Federation
horseback. However, whether tent pegging
developed cavaliers' generic skills or prepared Nicknames Tent Pegging
them for specific combat situations is unclear.[2]
First played 4th century BC

According to the International Equestrian Characteristics

Federation, "most equestrian authorities are of the
opinion that tent-pegging originated in the Indian Contact Yes

subcontinent during the middle ages in the Team members Single or Section
battlefields as a tactics used by the horsed cavalry
Mixed-sex Yes, separate
against elephant mounted troops"[3] A cavalier competitions
able to precisely stab the highly sensitive flesh
behind an elephant's toenail would cause the Type Individual Lance or
Sword/Team Lance or
enemy elephant to rear, unseat his mahout, and Sword/Lemons and Peg/
possibly run amok, breaking ranks and trampling Rings and Peg/Team and
Pairs/Lance, Sword, and
infantry. The term "tent pegging" is certainly Revolver/Indian File
related to the idea that cavalry mounting a
surprise pre-dawn raid on an enemy camp could Equipment Lance, Sword, and/or
Revolver
use the tent-pegging skills to sever or uproot tent
pegs, collapsing the tents on their sleeping Venue Tent Pegging Ground
occupants and sowing havoc and terror in the
Presence
camp. However, there are few reliable accounts of
a cavalry squadron ever employing such tactics. Country or region Worldwide

Because the specific game of tent-pegging is the

most popular equestrian skill-at-arms game, the entire class of sports became known as tent-pegging
during the twilight of cavalry in the twentieth century.

Essential rules

The specific game of tent pegging has a mounted horseman riding at a gallop and using a sword or a lance
to pierce, pick up, and carry away a small ground target (a symbolic tent peg) or a series of small ground
targets.

The broader class of tent pegging games also includes ring jousting (in which a galloping rider tries to pass
the point of his weapon through a suspended ring); lemon sticking (in which the rider tries to stab or slice a
lemon suspended from a cord or sitting on a platform); quintain tilting (in which the rider charges a
mannequin mounted on a swivelling or rocking pedestal); and mounted archery.[4]

A given tent pegging competition's rules specify the size and composition of the target; the number of
consecutive targets placed on a course; the dimensions and weight of the sword and lance; the minimum
time in which a course must be covered; and the extent to which a target must be struck, cut, or carried.[5]

Contemporary sport

Today, tent pegging is practised around the world but is especially popular in Australia, India, Israel, Oman,
Pakistan, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. The Olympic Council of Asia included tent pegging as an
official sport in 1982, and the International Federation for Equestrian Sports recognised it as an official
equestrian discipline in 2004.

New and emerging national tent pegging associations have helped spread the sport's popularity. The
Australian Royal Adelaide Show,[6] the British Tent Pegging Association,[7] and the United States Cavalry
Association[8] now hold annual national championships and demonstrations in their respective countries.

The United States Tent Pegging Association (USTPA) is a not-for-profit organization registered in the New
York state and is the National Governing Body for the sport of tent pegging in the US. USTPA is the premier
equestrian sports body dedicated solely to the promotion and development of the equestrian sport of tent
pegging across the US[1] (https://www.ustpa.us/about/) In Pakistan tent pegging is also named neza
bazi.[9] It is played in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and some parts of Sindh and Balochistan, it is the
unofficial provincial sport of Balochistan, Pakistan. There are many clubs who have owned different and
unique style of Turban and Waistcoat to identify their clubs. People decorate their horses for the
competition. Every club arranges a neza bazi competition. All clubs are invited to participate in the
competition. There are some specific shows being arranged since many decades. National Horse and Cattle
Show is one of them. It is held at the Fortress Stadium in Lahore every year usually in end of February or at
first week of March. Tent pegging is a part of this event. Clubs from all the districts of Pakistan participates
there.[10] It is also popular with British Pakistanis.[9]

The pre-eminent tent pegging games remain centred in Asia and the Middle East, with the International Tent
Pegging Championships (http://www.maharaj.org/blog-tentpegging.shtml) and the continental Asian
Games traditionally enjoying the highest number of competitors and participating states.[11]

Governing bodies

The recognised international governing body of tent pegging is International Tent Pegging Federation. The
ITPF headquarters are located in Muscat, Oman. It was founded as World Tent Pegging Federation in 2013 by
representatives from England, Australia and South Africa, Pakistan, India and others renamed the World Tent
Pegging Federation in 2014, and took up its current name in the same year. Essentially ITPF is very new and
does and does not have full world recognition and not all countries which play tent pegging are its members.
Also ITPF is the largest equestrian body in the world that recognizes and governs tent pegging
competitions.[12][13]

Tent pegging being primarily a foreign game from the Indian subcontinent, and was faded from the
equestrian sports map of the US. However, tent pegging was well known prior to the World War II in the
continental US. As a need of present times, with tent pegging being played in many countries around the
world, USTPF (http://www.ustpf.org/) came into existence as a national governing body for tent pegging
and to promote tent pegging domestically and represent US internationally. USTPF was formed in 2013 in the
US. USTPF participated in many international events the 2016 and the US secured the place in the
international tent pegging arena.

The ITPF has 28 members: The ITPF is responsible for the organisation and governance of tent pegging's
major international tournaments, notably the Tent Pegging World Cup. It also appoints the judges and
referees that officiate at all matches and events. Each nation has a national federation which regulates Tent
pegging events played in its country. The Tent pegging federation also selects the national squad and
organizes home and away tours for the national team.

Members

The ITPF has 28 members countries in beginning. Following are the members of the federation, which
include Oman, Pakistan, Yemen, India, Nepal, Tentpegging Germany, British Tent Pegging Association,
Australian Tentpegging Federation, Afghanistan, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Sri Lanka, Sweden,
Norway, Sudan, Qatar, Netherlands Association for Mounted Skill-at-Arms 'Saint Georges' (NVBW), Namibia,
Lebanon, Kazakhstan, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Iranian Tentpegging Association, Canada, Bahrain, and
Denmark.[14]
International Competitions

Since its formation the ITPF has organised several international competitions.

First Tent Pegging World Cup 2014

After the formation of the federation, the world body decided to launch their own World Cup competition.
The first and the inaugural Tent Pegging World Cup was organised by the Oman Equestrian Federation (OEF)
at Al Rahba Farm, Barka, Oman from 31 March to 4 April 2014. The participant countries were Pakistan,
Oman, Qatar, Yemen, Iraq, Egypt, South Africa, Britain and Australia who qualified the Sudan and Pakistan
qualifying events in January and February respectively.[15]

South African team with World cup trophy

2014

South Africa won the event by a total of 758.5 points and clinch the enviable honour of being the first world
champions. Oman got second position with 693.5 points. Sudan, who finished with 654 points, took the third
place.[16]

International championships and world cup history

Final
Year Host Nation(s) Final Venue
Winner Result Runner-up

Al Rahba Farm, South Africa South Africa Oman

2014
Oman Muscat, Oman 758.5 points won by 65 runs 693.5 points

George, Western Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Pakistan

2023
South Africa Cape, South Africa 781.5 points won by 11.5 runs 770 points

International and world championships

One of the first International tent Pegging Championships were held in the State of Hyderabad, India in 1985
with many International Teams participating under the aegis of Equestrian Federation of India (EFI).

International and world championships are held among countries consisted on different number of teams.
Venues are selected through negotiations. There are major events in tent pegging. Oman, South Africa,
Pakistan, India, Australia, and the United Kingdom hosts the international championships regularly. Other
countries also organize the events at different times.

2007 International Tent pegging Championship Oman

The 2007 International Tent Pegging Championships were held in Muscat, Oman. This event was rare of its
kind as each continent was represented by a single national team: Europe by Britain, whose team came
from the Household Cavalry and the Royal Horse Artillery; the Middle East by Oman, whose team came
from the Royal Cavalry; Asia by Pakistan; Africa by South Africa, whose team had been selected from
national civilian trials; the North America by Canada, the whose team was led by Akaash Maharaj and last
year's champion, India, whose team came from multiple branches of their armed forces.[17]
The Penta Grand (2010)- World Tent Pegging Championship Noida, India

The Penta Grand (2012)-World Equestrian Tent Pegging Championship, Noida India.

World Tent Pegging Championship was hosted by India after almost three decades by Ahmad Afsar, the
Global prime Promoter of Equestrian Tent Pegging Discipline and made his mission to get Tent Pegging
recognized in the World Stage.

"The Penta Grand" 2012 was the first of its kind and saw participation of 11 countries.

•The Penta Grand (2013)-World Equestrian Tent Pegging Championship, Gurugram India. "The Penta
Grand" or The World Equestrian Tent Championship was held at Tau Devi Lal Stadium,Gurugram.It was
organized by Mr Ahmad Afsar with Equiwings Sports & Events Company under the Aegis of Equestrian
Federation of India (EFI). It had a record number of participation of 17 countries.[18] Because of the presence
of officials of 17 countries Mr Ahmad Afsar called a meeting to form World Tent Pegging federation duly
supported by Prince Malik Ata Muhammad Khan and all representatives of the 17 countries reached a
consensus for the development of tent pegging which later shaped as International Tent Pegging Federation.

•The Penta Grand (2015)-Asian & International Equestrian Tent Pegging Championship(2015), New
Delhi. The "Asian & International Tent Pegging Championship" 2015 was held at Gautam Budh University, Gr.
Noida, New Delhi from 10 to 15 March 2015 by the Equiwings Sport & Events company. Sudan won the gold
medal. The countries participated were India, Sudan, Oman, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Jordan, Russia, United States,
Pakistan, Great Britain, Lebanon and Germany.

In this edition of The Penta Grand 2015, the Great Noida Horse show was also organised. It included an open
competition for all riders of the country in 68 event disciplines including show jumping, tent pegging,
endurance, hacks, and gymkhana events. Various categories for the participation of children were available
in the gymkhana events.

•The Penta Grand (2017)

Notable tent peggers

George Gribble (1868–1947), He won the prize for 'tent pegging on horseback with a lance' at the main
military tournament in Dublin. Queen Victoria made the presentation of a silver cup, herself. He was
awarded 28 points, with the next best competitor managing just 12.[19][20]

Malik Ata Muhammad Khan (1941–2020), Pakistan, One of the founders of International Tent Pegging
 Federation. He served as first elected honorary president of the federation and then member of the
executive committee to serve for four years. He also served as first President of the Equestrian & Tent
Pegging Federation of Pakistan. He started participating in international tent pegging events in early 60s
and this continued for whole of his life.

Dr. Asim Shahzad Malik D.B.A. (2013 – Present) first registered the United States Tent Pegging Federation
- USTPF in the United States on December 30, 2013, headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as legal Tent
Pegging Governing Body in order to promote Tent Pegging (https://www.ustpf.org) in the US. USTPF
sponsored teams have participated in may international events, which include Oman, Sudan, Norway,
Germany, Saudi Arabia and India. Dr. Asim Shahzad Malik is the certified coach from International Tent
Pegging Federation - ITPF (https://itpf.net/) for Tent Pegging in the US. Currently the USTPF has one
registered Associan under the umbrella of the USTPF known as Midwest Tent Pegging Associan (https://mt
pa-us.org) from Columbus, Ohio. The President of the MTPA, Mr. Hussnain Ali is certified Gold Judge
from the ITPF.https://www.ustpf.org/ustpf-history

Ahmed H. Zubair introduced the sport of tent pegging to the US while playing polo in Tinicum Park Polo
Club in NJ. Tent pegging efforts were encouraged by the polo coach and founder. USTPA participated in
tent pegging clinics on the sidelines of the 2010 World Tent Pegging Championship in India; USTPA
founder, Ahmed H. Zubair, officiated as one of the judges.[21]

Popular culture references

In George McDonald Fraser's Flashman novels, title character Harry Flashman served in a lancer regiment,
and frequently mentions tent pegging and his broader skills with the lance.

References

1. "Tent pegging at Hurlingham", Illustrated London News, Summer 1875

2. Lenox-Conyngham Papers, "Camp on the Raptee River", Cambridge University Centre of South Asian Studies, 16
January 1859

3. "Tent pegging recognised by the FEI" (https://admin.fei.org/Development/Regional_Disciplines/Pages/Tent_Peggin

g.aspx) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20120401014439/https://admin.fei.org/Development/Regional_Di
sciplines/Pages/Tent_Pegging.aspx) 1 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine, International Equestrian Federation,
2004, retrieved 19 March 2012

4. "Tent pegging with UNICEF Team Canada" (http://www.maharaj.org/tentpegging.shtml) , Akaash Maharaj, 2007,
retrieved 14 January 2007

5. Major General RKR Balasubramanian, Rules for Tent Pegging (First Edition), International Equestrian Federation,
June 2002

6. "Main Arena Program (2013)" (http://www.theshow.com.au/showground/royal-adelaide-show/plan-your-show-day/

programs/main-arena-program.jsp) . The Royal Agricultural & Horticultural Society of SA Inc. Retrieved
12 August 2014.

7. "Up in arms to peg back cavalry regiments" (http://www.equestriantoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=116&

ArticleID=1114530) , Equestrian Today, 15 August 2005, retrieved 2 June 2006

8. "The National Cavalry Competition" (http://www.uscavalry.org/currentevents.html) , US Cavalry Association,

2006, retrieved 2 June 2006
 2006, retrieved 2 June 2006

9. Khan, Aina J (4 October 2022). "British Pakistanis find fraternity in cavalry sport of tent pegging" (https://www.the
guardian.com/uk-news/2022/oct/04/british-pakistanis-find-fraternity-in-the-cavalry-sport-of-neza-bazi) . The
Guardian.

10. 'nocadmin', "National Horse And Cattle Show" (http://www.pakistanadventures.com/national-horse-and-cattle-sho

w/) , Pakistan Adventures, 2 June 2011.

11. "Indian riders to the fore" (https://web.archive.org/web/20071010045627/http://www.hinduonnet.com/tss/tss2612/

[Usurped!]
stories/20030322005607700.htm) , The Sportstar, 22 March 2003, retrieved 2 June 2006

12. "Times of Oman | News :: Oman all set for International Tent Pegging Federation" (https://web.archive.org/web/201
40812213714/http://www.timesofoman.com/news/article-30834.aspx) . timesofoman.com. Archived from the
original (http://www.timesofoman.com/news/article-30834.aspx) on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.

13. worldtentpegging.com (not in English) (http://www.worldtentpegging.com/)

14. "Contacts | International Tent Pegging Federation ‫ﺎد‬#‫ﺎط اﻻوٮ‬#‫ٮڡ‬# ‫ﺤﺎد اﻟﺪوﻟﻰ لﻻﻟ‬#‫( "اﻻٮ‬https://web.archive.org/web/20141011
110503/http://www.worldtentpegging.com/contacts/) . worldtentpegging.com. Archived from the original (http://
www.worldtentpegging.com/contacts/) on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.

15. "Times of Oman | News :: Tent pegging family dreams big" (https://web.archive.org/web/20140812213448/http://w
ww.timesofoman.com/News/31837/Article-Tent-pegging-family-dreams-big) . timesofoman.com. Archived from
the original (http://www.timesofoman.com/News/31837/Article-Tent-pegging-family-dreams-big) on 12 August
2014. Retrieved 11 August 2014.

16. "Times of Oman | News :: SA champions, Oman second at the Tent Pegging World Cup" (http://www.timesofoman.
com/News/32039/Article-SA-champions,-Oman-second-at-the-Tent-Pegging-World-Cup) . timesofoman.com.
Retrieved 11 August 2014.

17. Maharaj, Akaash (16 March 2007). "Article: Akaash gives details of the events" (http://www.maharaj.org/blog-tentp
egging.shtml) . maharaj.org. Canada.

18. "Horse tagging championship ends, India secures 3rd spot" (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/hors
e-tagging-championship-ends-india-secures-3rd-spot/articleshow/19178428.cms) . 25 March 2013. p. 1.
Retrieved 15 November 2022.

19. "CANBERRA VETERANS TELL OF OTHER DAYS AT REUNION" (http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2669464) . The

Canberra Times. Vol. 20, no. 5916. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 25 March 1946. p. 2. Retrieved
21 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.

20. "The Dublin Tournament" (http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article14117533) . The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 18, 493.
New South Wales, Australia. 23 June 1897. p. 4. Retrieved 21 February 2019 – via National Library of Australia.

21. "History – USTPA" (https://www.ustpa.us/history/) . Retrieved 2 September 2023.

External links

International Tent Pegging Federation (https://itpf.net/en/)

United States Tent Pegging Association – USTPA (http://www.ustpa.us/)

Australian Tentpegging Federation (http://www.tentpeggingaustralia.org/)

British Tent Pegging Association (http://www.britishtentpegging.co.uk/)

Canadian National Tent Pegging Team (http://www.maharaj.org/tentpegging.shtml)

Sussex Peggers Riding Club (http://www.sussexpeggers.com/)

Netherlands Association for Mounted Skill-at-Arms 'Saint Georges' (NVBW) (http://www.tentpegging.nl/)

Iranian Tentpegging Association (http://www.tentpeggingiran.blogfa.com/)

Tentpegging Germany (http://www.tentpegging.de/)