The mela
Village fairs where whole districts gather: food stalls, kabaddi, and neza bazi as the main event.
نیزہ بازی
What is neza bazi?
Neza bazi is the South Asian name for tent pegging: a mounted sport in which a rider at full gallop uses a lance to pierce and carry off a wooden peg fixed in the ground. Here is where it comes from, how it is played, and how it arrived in Britain.
Origins
Born in the cavalry. Kept alive in the village.
Most equestrian authorities believe tent pegging began on the Indian subcontinent in the Middle Ages, as a cavalry skill: a rider at full gallop, lance lowered, striking a small target on the ground without breaking stride.
The armies moved on. The sport stayed. In Pakistan it became neza bazi, ridden at village melas to the beat of the dhol, by clubs in matching turbans and waistcoats on horses dressed for the occasion. It is played across Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and parts of Sindh, and is the unofficial provincial sport of Balochistan.
Today it has a world governing body, a World Cup, and a growing home in Britain, carried here by families from the Pothohar plateau and Azad Kashmir.
- Middle AgesA cavalry skill on the subcontinentHorsemen train to strike ground targets at the gallop with lance and sword.
- 19th centuryFrom the regiments to the melasCavalry regiments compete; in the villages the sport becomes a festival, with dhol, dress and decorated horses.
- 2013A world federationThe International Tent Pegging Federation forms, with Pakistan's Malik Ata Muhammad Khan among its founders.
- 2023Pakistan, World Cup runners-upSecond behind Saudi Arabia at the Tent Pegging World Cup.
- July 2026London's first neza baziTeams from Bradford, Birmingham and Manchester ride at Acton alongside riders who travelled from Pakistan.
- 26 July 2026Memorial Cup in BirminghamA free tent pegging show at Ward End Park, with riders from across the country competing for the Tent Pegging Memorial Cup.
Roots
Pakistan & Azad Kashmir
From the Pothohar plateau around Jhelum, Chakwal and Rawalpindi, across to Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimber in Azad Kashmir, neza bazi is more than a sport. It is a day out for the whole village, a test of a family's horses, and a matter of club pride.
The dhol
The drum sets the pace. It builds as the rider sets off and erupts when the peg comes up clean.
The dress
Each club rides in its own colours: a tall turban with a starched fan, a waistcoat and shalwar kameez.
The horse
Bred and trained for speed and nerve, and dressed for show with tassels, bells and embroidered cloth.
Where it's riddenPothohar · Jhelum, Chakwal, RawalpindiAzad Kashmir · Mirpur, Kotli, BhimberPunjab · Multan, Lahore, FaisalabadKhyber PakhtunkhwaSindh & Balochistan
How it's played
Eight seconds, one peg
A wooden peg is driven into the ground at the end of a straight run. The rider gallops at it, lowers the lance, pierces the peg and carries it past the line. A clean carry scores highest; a strike or a drag scores less.
- 01The run-upHorse and rider build to full gallop down a straight lane, the dhol rising behind them.
- 02The lowerStrides out, the lance drops from upright to the line of the peg. Timing is everything.
- 03The strikeThe tip goes into the peg without the horse breaking stride.
- 04The carryPeg aloft, past the line. The crowd and the drums do the rest.
Discipline
Lance & peg
The classic. One rider, one lance, one peg.
Discipline
Team
Club riders gallop abreast, each at their own peg. The pride event at every mela.
Discipline
Sword & lemon
A lemon on a post is sliced at the gallop, before or after a peg.
Discipline
Rings & peg
The lance threads a hanging ring, then takes the peg on the same run.
Questions
Neza bazi, answered
What is neza bazi?
Neza bazi is the South Asian name for tent pegging: a mounted sport in which a rider at full gallop uses a lance to pierce and carry off a wooden peg fixed in the ground.
What does neza bazi mean?
Neza is Urdu for lance and bazi means play, so neza bazi is "the game of the lance".
Is neza bazi the same as tent pegging?
Yes. Tent pegging is the English name for the sport; neza bazi is what it is called in Urdu and Punjabi-speaking communities in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.
Where can I watch neza bazi in the UK?
Events take place in and around Birmingham, Bradford, Manchester and London. Every one we know of is on our events page.
Is it free to watch?
It depends on the event. Each event page shows the entry price, or says if entry is free.
Do women ride?
Yes. Women compete in Pakistan and rode at London's first neza bazi competition in 2026.
How can my club list an event?
Use the event submission form. Listings are free, and every event gets its own page.
Find a neza bazi near you
Browse upcoming events by city, or list your own.