Tent pegging qualifiers postponed once again

CHENNAI : Uncertainty  continues to loom over the World Cup Qualifiers for Equestrian Tent Pegging as the event was again postponed by a couple of days on Saturday. The event is now slated from March 16 to 18 in Greater Noida with Nepal being the latest entrant. 

Earlier, the qualifiers were scheduled to begin on March 12 but deferred by two days on Thursday as the USA team members did not receive visas by then.“Yes, the event will be held from March 16 to 18 with five countries including hosts India, Pakistan, USA, Belarus and Nepal competing in it. The Nepal team has arrived while the USA and Pakistan are expected on Monday,” Jaiveer Singh, secretary-general of the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI), told this newspaper. 

Belarus had reached the country on Wednesday. The tournament is being jointly organised by the EFI and Equiwings Sports, a private firm.“We got the visa yesterday (Friday). We have to send it to the consulate for adding venue location as the event is taking place in Greater Noida and it was not mentioned there,” said Dr Asim Shahzad Malik, the USA team leader. 

He also confirmed that three USA team members including him will reach India from Pakistan while the fourth member has to board flight from the USA. Salman Zia, Hibbat Ullah Wahla and Zaghum Abbas (coming from US) are the other members of the team.

“Draw of lots to assign horses to riders and practice will be done on Monday while the competition will begin next day. The teams will depart for their respective countries on March 19,” informed a source in the organising committee.