The Horse factor
The Horse stables at the back of the Junior School
The biggest advertisement or show case or laurel winner of PPS today is The Horse riding team ,whose trick riding is comparable to the best in Indian Army. The man responsible for it is Risaldar Major Saudagar Singh.
The PPS riders have excelled and represented India in Polo many times over in the past two decades. Here are two of the stalwarts:
Above: Col Ajay Ahlawat (S-546, 1986) in action, and, Below with Indian team that played against Pakistan
In Action!!! Col Pinka Virk (S-428, 1977)
With the late Queen Elizabeth
With the late Princess Diana
Pinka Virk, with Prince Charles (Now, King Charles)
………………………………………………………….
India’s Best Rider, Late Maj Manjinder Singh Bhinder (R-505,1984). Read about him in the Section, ‘Bravehearts’
With Family before the tragedy
PERFORMANCE IN EQUESTRIAN FIELD IN RESPECT OF CAPT MS BHINDER (R-505,1984)
- Northern India Horse Show Delhi-Oct 95
- Gde III Teke Your Own Jumping – 3rd
- Delhi Horse Show –Feb 96
- Gde III Shows Jumping Normal -Ist
- Tent Pegging Individual -Ist
- ICEC Sep 96
- Ride and Shoot Individual -Ist
- Ride and Shoot Team -2nd
- Tent Pegging Team -Ist
- CALCUTTA HORSE SHOWS DEC-96
(i)Team Tent Pegging -3rd
(e) Shillong Horse Show Dec 96
(i) Individual Tent Pegging -3rd
(ii) Inter mediate Show Jumping -Ist
(iii)Team Tent Pegging -Ist
(f)Delhi Horse Show 97
- Inter mediate Jumping Normal -Ist
- Shoot & Scoot -2nd
(g) 4th National Games ,Banglore
(i) Show Jumping Individual -Gold
(ii) Show Jumping Team -Gold
- Dressage Team -Gold
- One Day Event Tent Pegging -Gold
- One Day Event Individual -Silver
- Tent Pegging Team -Bronze
ACHIEVEMENTS 1993-94/1994-95 CAPT MS BHINDER
1993-94
1. Jodhpur Horse shows – Sep 93
(a)Tent Pegging Individual -Ist
2. Punjab Horse Show- Jalandhar Nov 93
(a)International Tent Pegging (Team) -Ist
(b)National Tent Pegging (Team) -3rd
3. Inter Command Equestrian Championship- Gava 1993
(a) Grade III Top Score Shows Jumping -Ist
(b) Grade III Normal Shows Jumping (Team) -2nd
(c) Asad Trial Shows Jumping -4th
4. PEPC Horse Shows New Delhi -1994
(a)Grade III Normal Shows Jumping -4th
5. International & National Tent Pegging –Jaipur 1994
(a) International Tent Pegging (Team) -Ist
1994-95
6. Assam Horse Shows Tezpur-1994
(a) Tent Pegging Individual -2nd
(b) Tent Pegging Team -Ist
(c) Grade III Shows Jumping -4th
(d) Open Shows Jumping -5th
7. PEPS Horse Shows – 1995
(a) Grade III Normal Shows Jumping -2nd
(b) Ride & Drive Competition -2nd
8. New Delhi Horse Shows -1995
(a)Tent Pegging Team -2nd
9. National One Dav Event -1995
(a) One Day Event Team -4th
ACHIEVEMENTS IN EQUESTIAN SPORTS
Ser Event Participated Year Standard displayed
- Junior National Polo Organized 1980 (a)Captain for the team
By Indian Polo association held at Delhi . (b) Won the Championship.
2. Junior National Polo organized by 1990 (a) Captain of the team.
Indian Polo association held at Delhi. (b) Runners up
3. Junior National Show Jumping organized by 1980 First
National Equestrian Championship held at Hyderabad.
4. Junior National Tent Pegging National 1989 Second
Equestrian Championship held at Hyderabad.
5. Junior National Dressage Competition , 1989 Third
National Equestrian Championship held at Hyderabad.
6. National open Grade three Shows Jumping 1988 Second
Competition held at Delhi.
7. Junior Shows Jumping NCC National 1990 Second
8. Equestrian Championship held at Chandigarh.
Junior National Shows Jumping Held at Chandigarh. – 1990 Second
9. Junior National Dressage Competition 1990 Third
National Equestrian Championship held at Chandigarh.
10. Junior National Show Jumping Championship 1988 First
held at Delhi.
- Captain of the riding and Polo team of National Defence Academy in the year 1991
- Captain of the riding and Polo of Indian Military Academy in the Year 1991.
- Awarded blazer in Riding and Polo at National Defence Academy.
- Awarded blue in Riding and Polo at Indian Military Academy.
- Handicap in Polo is scratch.
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Col Bikramdev Singh Grewal (B-677, ICSC-87,ISC-89 Batch)
1.Best Horse Rider of school from 1987 To 1989
2. Best Horse Rider medal of his course in NDA
3. Blue in Riding and Polo in NDA and
4. BLAZER in Equestrian in IMA
5. Various National medals in Jumping and Tent Pegging
Col BS Grewal in action!
+1 Handicap Polo player with National and International exposure. Played against Italy and Palistan
Currently posted as Trg Offr, NCC GP Hq Chandigarh.
Polo Players/ Riders of International Repute
Late Maj MS Bhinder (R-505,1984) : India’s best Horse Rider in his time, selected for Bangkok Asian Games.
Col Jagdeep S Virk (Retd) (S-428, 1977): Three World Cups, and represented India in over 20 countries; Commanded the 61st Cavalry; Awarded the title of Dato [Sir] by Malaysian Govt.
Col BS Grewal: Polo player from Army Supply Corps.
Col Ajay Ahlawat (Retd.) (S-546, 1986): Veteran. Four World Cups and represented India in over 30 countries; First Indian to be awarded the title of Dato [Sir] by Malaysian Govt.; Advisor for Polo to the Sultans of Malaysia and Brunei/ Founder of the First Polo Club of India – Rissala Polo Club, located at ITC Classic Golf Club.
Late Capt Balbir Singh Yadav (J-14,1964): was the youngest handicap 4 Polo player in his days.
—Compiled by Dr Jashanjot with inputs from Ajay Ahlawat and Pinka Virk