Shandur Polo Festival

Shandur Polo Festival is going to be held on 7th to 9th July in Shandur. Shandur polo ground is located bout 3738 meter an above sea level and lies midway between Chitral and Gilgit. This three days polo tournament will be organized by the Gilgit and Chitral polo clubs and Sarhad Corporation Tourism. The tournament will be held on Shandur Pass, the highest polo ground in the world at 3,700 meters (the pass itself is at 3,800m).Shandur create a center of attention for visitors to experience the traditional polo tournament which is being held since 1936 on annual basis in July between the teams of Chitral and Gilgit. The festival also includes Folk music, Paragliding, dancing, bonfire and a camping village is set up.

Gilgit, Chitral and Skardu have always played the game of polo closest to its original form. In the past, local Khans, Mirs and Mehtars were the patrons of the game. At times, more than 50% of the annual budget of their principalities would be spent on supporting the game.

Field polo requires two teams of 4 players. A full-size of large grass field is 300 yards long, and either 200 yards or 160 yards wide if there are side boards—these are generally 6" high. There are tall collapsible goalposts at each end of the field spread 8 yards apart. The object of the game is to score the most goals by hitting the ball through the goal. Polo teams change direction after each goal in order to compensate for field and wind conditions. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a long-handled mallet.

A polo game has periods of play, known as chukkas (also chukkers or chuckers). This term originated in 1898 and is derived from Hindi chakkar from Sanskrit chakra "circle, wheel” or duration of rounds (compare chakka). Depending on the rules of the particular tournament or league, a game may have 4, 6 or 8 chukkas; 6 chukkas or rounds are most common usually, each chukka or round is 7 minutes long, but some games are played in shorter chukkas. Between chukkas, the players switch to fresh ponies. In less competitive polo leagues, players may play only two ponies, alternating between them.

A game first played in Persia (Iran) at dates given from the 5th century BC, or much earlier, to the 1st century AD and originated there, polo was at first a training game for cavalry units, usually the king's guard or other elite troops. Polo found popularity in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Pakistan and the United States of America.

James Gordon Bennett, Jr. organized the first polo match in the United States at Dickel's Riding Academy at 39th Street and Fifth Avenue in New York City. During the early part of the 20th century, under the leadership of Harry Payne Whitney, polo changed to become a high-speed sport in the United States, differing from the game in England, where it involved short passes to move the ball toward the opposition's goal. Whitney and his teammates used the fast break, sending long passes downfield to riders who had broken away from the pack at a full gallop.

Polo is now an active sport in 77 countries, and although its tenure as an Olympic sport was limited to 1900–1939, in 1998 the International Olympic Committee recognized it as a sport with a bona fide international governing body, the Federation of International Polo. The World Polo Championship of Polo is held every three years by the Polo. But Shandur Polo is held every year on same dates in summer.

Like every year, a large number of foreign and local audiences are expected and the national airlines will charter special flights for the occasion from all around the country to Chitral. An estimated 10,000 people attended the event in 2009 and similar numbers are expected this year.

Establishment of festival announced the special arrangement for national and international visitors.

An official of Sarhad Corporation Tourism told that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Sports, Culture & Tourism Syed Aqil Shah will request President Asif Ali Zardari and other international guests to attend the event as chief guest.
This type of events shows and proves that Pakistan is stable, moderate and peace making country and Pakistanis are peace loving people and nobody can bulldoze our peace.