Chandigarh horse show: All for the love of city & equines

Gurnaaz Kaur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 28

A few like-minded people and their love for equestrianism became the driving force behind the inaugural Chandigarh Horse Show (CHS) being held at ‘The Ranch’ in Mullanpur.

Blown away by the beauty of this city, actress-model Alankrita Sahai teamed up with Rajinder Khosa, Gursher Singh Badal and Aashna Vinod Gupta to bring about the show. And in no time, known names from the equestrian sports came on board.

As Alankrita explains, “I came to this city just a few months back for some personal and later professional reasons and ended up falling in love with it. So, I decided to give something back to a city that has so much to offer and is meant for bigger and better things like this show.”

“More than 100 horses in competition, 21 events spread across three days, food stalls, art and craft exhibitors, an exclusive shop of showjumping and polo merchandise, free horseback rides, it’s as much a carnival as a platform for the equestrian community to indulge in all kind of horse-mounted sports. There’s something for everyone,” she elaborates.

Alankrita says the aim of the show is community building. “We want to create an authentic and relatable interaction that can connect people in this increasingly digital world. The event is for the youth and in fact all age groups. It’s a carnival for champions.”

“It’s a unique show that aims to provide a thrilling, fun-filled experience,” she adds.

While we are aware that a lot of dignitaries, political figures, Army veterans, Judges and polo players are associated with the event, celebrities, including Abhay Deol, Harshvardhan Kapoor, Gurnazar, Bunty Bains, Kulwinder Billa and Freddy Daruwala, lend not just their support but an element of glamour to the show that celebrates the regal animal in all its glory.

Talking about the single-toed equines, Alankrita says, “There are horses from The Ranch, some are stabled there by other horse owners, geldings, thoroughbreds, mares to stallions, you’ll find them all.”

To curate a vibrant show like this one meant a lot of hard work and a strong vision. And now that it has come alive, Alankrita says, “Even if you are new to the world of horses, this will be the beginning of an unforgettable series of getaways, picnics, socialising, good food and great conversations. We would love to take the Chandigarh Horse Show to all the cities across the country.”

On that note, she signs off saying, “We hope for the city folks to be there.”