‘Shakti’ powers to victory in horse racing competition

Varanasi: A horse racing competition was organised for the first time in the city in recent years.The Babu RN Singh Memorial Horse Racing Competition, organised by Vikas Inter College, not only thrilled the spectators but also set a new direction for adventure sports in Kashi.The mini stadium ground at Parmanandpur was transformed into a race course. The presence of more than 5,000 students and sports enthusiasts made the event memorable. Throughout the competition, spectators standing all around the ground continuously cheered and applauded the horse riders, making the atmosphere even more thrilling.The competition was organised in an exciting format across three phases. In the first and second round, five horse riders participated in each round, and a race of 5 laps was conducted in every round. The top-two horse riders from both these rounds secured a place in the final round. The decisive contest featured a long and challenging race of six laps in the final round in which the winner, runner-up and third-place finisher were determined.In this thrilling race of four km, Hari Narayan's Rajasthani breed horse 'Shakti' stayed ahead of all. Shakti completed the race in just two minutes 28 seconds to secure the first position. Gaurav Yadav's horse 'Rocket' finished in second place, clocking a time of three minutes 40 seconds, while Saurabh's horse 'Sheru' completed the race in four minutes to finish in third place. The horses finishing in second and third positions were of the Marwari breed.Asha Singh, president of the Uttar Pradesh Adventure Sports Club, flagged off the competition by showing the green flag. The event was attended by District Olympic Association Secretary Shams Tabrez Shaimpu and divisional sports secretary Rajesh Singh Dohri.