Tent pegging (sometimes spelled "tentpegging" or "tent-pegging") is a cavalry sport of ancient origin, and is one of only ten equestrian disciplines officially recognised by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports. The Cavalry (from French cavalerie) is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as Soldiers or Warriors who fought mounted on For the Roman class see Equestrian (Roman Equestrianism refers to the skill of riding or driving Horses This broad description The Fédération Équestre Internationale (commonly known as the FEI or in English the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, is the international governing body of 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 edged weapons on horseback, for which the term "equestrian skill-at-arms" is also used.
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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 term lance has become a catchall for a variety of different Pole weapons based on the Spear.
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 Parthian (i.e., mounted) archery. For the type of poem see Cinquain, for the band see Quintaine Americana Quintain ( O [1]
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, lance, or bow; the minimum time in which a course must be covered; and the extent to which a target must be struck, cut, or carried. [2]
Origins
Cavaliers have practised the specific game of tent pegging since at least the 4th century BC, and Asian and later European empires spread the game around the world. The Cavalry (from French cavalerie) is the second oldest of the Combat Arms, and as Soldiers or Warriors who fought mounted on As a result, the game's date and location of origin are ambiguous. [3]
In all accounts, the competitive sport evolved out of cavalry training exercises designed to develop cavaliers' prowess with the sword and lance from horseback. However, whether tent pegging developed cavaliers' generic skills or prepared them for specific combat situations is shrouded in anecdote and national chauvinism. Chauvinism (ˈʃoʊvɨnɪzəm is extreme and unreasoning Partisanship on behalf of a group to which one belongs especially when the partisanship includes malice and hatred [4]
The most widely accepted theory[5] is that the game originated in medieval India as a training tool for cavaliers facing war elephants. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country A war elephant is an Elephant trained and guided by humans for combat A cavalier able to precisely stab the highly sensitive flesh behind an elephant's toenail would cause the enemy elephant to rear, unseat his mahout, and possibly run amok, breaking ranks and trampling infantry. A mahout is a person who drives an Elephant. The word mahout comes from the Hindi words mahaut and mahavat, derivatives of the Sanskrit The Infantry is the oldest and most numerous of the Combat Arms in the Armed forces, and consists
The term "tent pegging" is, however, certainly related to the idea that cavaliers mounting a surprise pre-dawn raid on an enemy camp could use the game's skills to sever or uproot tent pegs, thus collapsing the tents on their sleeping occupants and sowing havoc and terror in the camp. However, there are few reliable accounts of a cavalry squadron ever employing such tactics. A squadron is a small unit or formation of Cavalry, armour, Aircraft (including Balloons) or Warships Army Military tactics ( Greek: Taktikē, the art of organizing an army are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating
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.
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. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located 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. The Olympic Council of Asia ( OCA) is a governing body of sports in Asia, currently with 45 member National Olympic Committees The current president is
From the results of the 2008 International Tent Pegging Championships, the world's three leading national teams are currently Canada, India, and Oman. [6]
While members of cavalry regiments and mounted police forces still dominate world-class tent pegging[7], the sport is being increasingly embraced by civilian riders. Mounted police are Police who patrol on Horseback They continue to serve in remote areas and in metropolitan areas where their day-to-day function may be picturesque
New and emerging national tent pegging associations have helped spread the sport's popularity. The Australian Royal Adelaide Show, the British Tent Pegging Association[8], and the United States Cavalry Association[9] now hold annual national championships and demonstrations in their respective countries.
The pre-eminent tent pegging games remain centred in Asia and the Middle East, with the International Tent Pegging Championships and the continental Asian Games traditionally enjoying the highest number of competitors and participating states. The Asian Games, also called the Asiad, is a Multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. [10]
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. George MacDonald Fraser, OBE (2 April 1925 &ndash 2 January 2008 was a British Author of both Historical novels and Non-fiction books A lancer ( Uhlan) was a type of Cavalryman who fought with a Lance.
Notes and references
- ^ "Tent pegging with Unicef Team Canada", Akaash Maharaj, 2007, retrieved 14 January 2007
- ^ Major General RKR Balasubramanian, Rules for Tent Pegging (First Edition), International Equestrian Federation, June 2002
- ^ "Tent pegging at Hurlingham", Illustrated London News, Summer 1875
- ^ Lenox-Conyngham Papers, "Camp on the Raptee River", Cambridge University Centre of South Asian Studies, 16 January 1859
- ^ "Tent pegging recognised by the FEI", International Equestrian Federation, 2004, retrieved 17 May 2006
- ^ Kangla, 14 January 2008, retrieved 21 January 2008
- ^ "Tent pegging competition cancelled", United States Equestrian Federation, 20 January 2004, retrieved 31 May 2006
- ^ "Up in arms to peg back cavalry regiments", Equestrian Today, 15 August 2005, retrieved 02 June 2006
- ^ "The National Cavalry Competition", US Cavalry Association, 2006, retrieved 02 June 2006
- ^ "Indian riders to the fore", The Sportstar, 22 March 2003, retrieved 02 June 2006
See also
External links
- International Equestrian Federation (FEI)
- Australian Tentpegging Federation
- British Tent Pegging Association
- Canadian National Tent Pegging Team
- Equestrian Federation of India Tent Pegging
- Namibian Equestrian Tentpegging Association
- Netherlands Tent Pegging Association
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