About this event
In July 2026 a rugby ground in Acton, west London, hosted the first neza bazi competition ever held in the capital. Teams from Bradford, Birmingham and Manchester rode alongside riders who had travelled from Pakistan.
More than 100 pedigree horses and riders took part across 24 men's teams, three of which travelled from Pakistan, and at least 16 leading riders came from Pakistan, mainly from Jhelum, Multan and Pindi. The youngest rider was nine years old. Many women rode too, and several Sikh neza bazi groups from London took part, a reminder that the sport is shared across Punjab.
The competition was organised by British Pakistani entrepreneurs Khwaja Bilal Hassan and Ahsan Hussain, who said they wanted to promote Pakistani culture and show a positive image of Pakistan abroad. Pakistan High Commission Press Minister Ali Nawaz Malik attended, and the organisers said they plan to take the event to northern England and other parts of the country.
Organiser: Khwaja Bilal Hassan and Ahsan Hussain
Source: Geo News, 20 July 2026