By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: The 50th Chief of the Army Staff Polo and Tent Pegging Championship 2025 concluded at Lahore’s Jinnah Polo Fields with a closing ceremony that combined sporting spectacle with institutional symbolism, drawing senior officials and a large public audience to one of the country’s most prominent equestrian venues.
Chief of the Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir attended the ceremony as the chief guest. He was welcomed on arrival by the Corps Commander Lahore and the chairman of the Pakistan Polo Federation. The interior minister and the chief secretary of Punjab were also present, alongside a sizeable crowd of spectators, reflecting the continued public appeal of traditional equestrian sports linked to military heritage.
The championship, marking its 50th edition, was presented by organizers as a celebration of the Pakistan Army’s long association with polo and tent pegging, sports historically rooted in cavalry training and battlefield skills. Over the course of the tournament, eight teams from different corps competed, producing closely fought matches that attracted steady attendance throughout the event.
According to officials, the competition aimed not only to promote athletic excellence but also to reinforce values of discipline, teamwork and sportsmanship associated with military training. Peshawar Corps emerged as the overall winners of the championship, delivering consistent performances across the tournament.
Gujranwala Corps finished as runners-up after a competitive final phase that kept spectators engaged until the closing stages. Players from other participating teams were also acknowledged for their efforts, with organizers emphasizing the importance of broad participation in sustaining the sport at a national level.
During the closing ceremony, Field Marshal Asim Munir distributed prizes among the winning and participating players, congratulating them on their performances and the standard of competition. The ceremony concluded with formal acknowledgements and a display of traditional pageantry, underscoring the ceremonial importance of the event within the military calendar.
The conclusion of the championship was seen by observers as a reaffirmation of the army’s role in preserving and promoting equestrian sports in Pakistan, while also offering a public-facing event that blended competition, tradition and institutional visibility in a setting familiar to Lahore’s sporting landscape.
