Kambala Samiti hopes to end next season by March

Mangaluru: The District Kambala Samiti comprising Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kasaragod districts are hopeful of organising the upcoming Kambala season from November to March.
In this regard, the Kambala Samiti met on Sunday at Moodbidri and discussed various aspects of the upcoming season at length. A major issue discussed was to try and end the season by the end of March, keeping in mind the weather conditions of the coastal region.
About 125 people including Kambala patrons, organisers, buffalo owners, jockeys and others associated with the traditional buffalo race sport participated in the discussions.
Samiti president Rohith Hegde Yermal told TOI, “We are looking forward to a normal action-filled Kambala year, especially after the sport was hit due to the Covid-19 pandemic for two years. We hope to organise Kambala events with a lot more discipline this year. The aim is to end the season by March. With the rising temperatures in April, it becomes difficult for the animals to travel and participate in the sport. Further, the organisers were also told that the events must not extend beyond 24 hours.’’
About 16 events were held this year and 75% of them ended on time.
“We hope for a better implementation of the rules decided by the Samiti and hope that the organisers do not stretch the events beyond 24 hours,” Yermal said.
The tentative dates for about 20 Kambala events to be held from November onwards have already been fixed. While every aspect of the sport was discussed in detail, a few insiders opined that a restriction should be implemented on jockeys over participation in each event. They should not be allowed to run for more than three buffalo pairs at an event. A decision in this regard may be taken in the next meeting. This issue was raised to ensure that the jockeys get enough rest and their fitness is not compromised, said Yermal, a sportsperson himself.
The Samiti is also striving to get financial support for Kambala events from the state government.