Players from the Patiala Polo and Riding Club in action during the Western Command Polo Challenge at the Polo Ground Aviation Club in Patiala. Tribune photo:Rajesh Sachar
Tribune News Service
Patiala, November 25
Patiala Polo and Riding Club witnessed Western Command Polo Challenge exhibition match, organised in the run-up to the MLF (Military Literature Festival) to be held in December, here today.
The day witnessed a nail-biting match between Patiala Chargers and Patiala Raiders. Lieutenant General RP Singh GOC-in-C Western Command was the chief guest.
Patiala Raiders, ably led by Arjuna Awardee World Cup player Colonel Ravi Rathore, dominated the four chukkars and won the match by 5-3. Both teams equalised in first three chukkars, but in the third chukkar, Colonel Ravi Rathore scored the fourth and fifth goal and kept Patiala Chargers under pressure in the last two chukkars blocking their every effort to score the goal.
In the first chukkar, Patiala Raiders controlled the game in their favour with first two goals by Colonel Ravi, but by the third chukker (round), both teams were on a par with three goals each.
By this time, the Patiala Raider team with Colonel Ravi Rathore was the star performer who scored two more goals.
By the time third Chukkar finished, Patiala Chargers led by Colonel N.S. Sandhu scored two goals with the third goal being scored by Capt. Raghav Raj But in the last two Chukkars Patiala Chargers couldn’t s score any goal losing match to Patiala Raiders.
The best pony award was clinched by Messiah rode by Colonel NS Sandhu of Patiala Chargers.
Jawans of 61 cavalries showed their horsemanship skill that included standing salute lance peg, triple tent pegging, indian file, hanky picking and trick tent pegging.
Earlier, in a perfect show of aerobatic skills, Senior Instructor Captain Malkiat Singh, having 10,000 hours of flying experience on various kinds of aircraft, displayed multiple manoeuvres. Earlier, the Military Band, led by N Subedar Mahinder Kumar, marched with melodious tunes and set the tempo of the function.
Best pony award
- The best pony award was clinched by Messiah rode by Colonel NS Sandhu of Patiala Chargers.
- The jawans of 61 cavalries showed their horsemanship skill that included standing salute lance peg, triple tent pegging, indian file, hanky picking and trick tent pegging.