Shandur Polo Festival History And Which Teams Compete There

In this article we are going to know about Shandur Polo Festival history and which teams compete there. Shandur Polo festival started during the era of British Govt in the region from 1936 to onwards at Shandur at Shandur Polo Ground. Every year, Shandur polo festival held from 7th to 9th July between the polo teams of Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral. The Chitral Shandur Polo ground is the world’s highest polo ground which is located in district Chitral (12500 ft above from sees level). There held freestyle polo matches, musical performances, cultural displays, and paragliding etc. Shandur Polo Festival is very popular in the world because of its strong management system and being highest polo ground.

History: Shandur Polo Festival History And Which Teams Compete There

Shandur festival happened in 1943 under the leadership of Raja Anwar Khan Chalo Roy of Punyal, Chitral. This festival could not organize from 1944 to 1954, and then resumed again in 1955.

1955, Chitral defeated Gilgit badly.

From 1955 to 1965, it was not organize

1966, Gilgit gifted a necklace to Chitral.

1967 did not happen.

1968, Gilgit scored 9 goals while Chitral lost by scoring 6 goals in Pahander instead of Shandur.

1979 and 1980 did not happen.

1981, only Yasin’s team from Gilgit would go to Shandur and lose to Chitral.

1982 Gilgit conceded 16 goals and Chitral only 3.

1983 to 1985 did not happen.

1986 – Gilgit won by 4 goals and Chitral by 7 goals.

1987 and 1988 did not happen.

1989, Gilgit lost by 10 goals and Chitral by 5 goals

1990, Gilgit lost by 15 goals and Chitral by 3 goals

1991, it was played in Shandur, this time Gilgit badly defeated Chitral.

1992, the Gilgit team won

1993, Chitral won

1994, Gilgit won

1995, Chitral won

1994, Gilgit won

1997, Chitral won

1994, Gilgit won

1999, did not organized due to Kargil War.

2000, Gilgit won

2001, Gilgit won

2002,  Gilgit won

2003, Gilgit won

2004, Chitral won

2005, Gilgit won

2006, Gilgit won

2007, Chitral won

2008, Chitral won

2009, Chitral won

2010, Chitral won

2011, Gilgit won

2012, Chitral won

2013, Chitral won

2014, Chitral won

2015, Chitral won

2016, Chitral won

2017, Chitral won

2018, Chitral won

2019, Chitral won

2020, Chitral won

2021, Chitral won

2022, Chitral won

2023, Chitral won

2024, is going to held during 7^th to 9^th July, 2024.

Announcement of Polo Teams for Shadur Festival 2024:

A meeting regarding Shandur Polo Festival and selection of polo players held in DC Office Chitral under the chair of Deputy Commissioner Chitral Mr. M. Imran Khan. Commandant Chitral Taskforce, DC Upper and Lower Chitral, DPO Lower Chitral, and the representatives of Pak Army and LEAs attended the same. In the meeting, they discussed regarding the preparation of festival and selection of Chitral teams.

Chitral Polo Squad for Shandur Polo Festival 2024:

A (Chitral)

1. Shahzada Sikandar (Captain)
2. Israr Wali Khan
3. Shahzad Ahmed
4. Amir Hamza
5. Izhar Ali khan
6. Ilyas
7. Adnan Ahmed
8. Imranur Rehman
9. Meraj
10. Nasirullah

B (Chitral)

1. Asghar
2. Arbab
3. Muhaimul Mulk
4. Hameedul Mulk
5. Maqsoodur Rehman
6. Alhajur Rehman
7. Asif Hussain
8. Irfan Ali Khan
9. Ashgar Jalal

C (Chitral)

1. Shamim Ahmed (Captain)
2. Ziaur Rehman
3. Azhar Suhail
4. Sher Nadeemul Mulk
5. Junaid Ali
6. Haroom Ali
7. Shohail Ahmed
8. Mubashir Alam
9. Khalil ur Rehman

D (Chitral)

1. Imaduddin
2. Prince Naeemuddin
3. Wasim Akram
4. Riza Quli
5. Islam Bani
6. Umair Ali shah
7. Sameerul Milk
8. Shujaur Rehman
9. Ihtishamuddin

Sub Division Mastuj Team (Chitral)

1. Hakim Sarwar (Captain)
2. Tanveer Ahmed
3. Anwar Ali khan
4. Sanaullah
5. Ajmal Qubad
6. Karim Bukhsh
7. Sadeel Jan
8. Israr Alam
9. Shuhail Ayub

Gilgit Baltistan Polo Squad for Shandur Polo Festival 2024: Shandur Polo Festival History

Team A (Gilgit)

1. Aslam
2. Nasir
3. Nazaid
4. Saddam Raji
5. Sardar
6. Shah Azam (Captaion)
7. Shamsul Haq
8. Zulfiqar Hameed

B (Gilgit)

1. Abdullah
2. Ghulan Khan
3. Muzafar (Captain)
4. Shoukat
5. Waseem
6. Wazir Muhammad

C (Gilgit)

1. Amir Jan
2. Daqood
3. Moazzam Ali (Captain)
4. Saddam Hussain
5. Sher Ghayas
6. Wazir Abid
7. Saddam Zaman

Famous players who fallen or died while playing polo: Shandur Polo Festival History

The famous players who fallen or died after fallen by horses are as under:

1. Bol John fell from his horse in the polo ground of Gilgit Scouts’s cantonment, but his foot got caught in the stirrup and the horse dragged him and killed him.
2. Captain Zafar died in 1962 after falling from his horse at the Shahi Polo Ground
3. Honorary Lieutenant John Alam, elder brother of Subedar Major Ahmad Khan, died in a fall from a horse at the Shahi Polo Grounds in the 1960s.
4. Raja Asghar Shahi died on April 1975 at the Polo Ground after a horse accident
5. Sakhawat Khan Punyalwale was injured in a fall with a horse at Gilgit Shahi Polo Ground in 1979 or 1980 but succumbed to his injuries at Islamabad CMH.
6. The son of Nusrat Ali, the famous polo player of Sher Qila, fell down with his horse and died in the polo ground of Sher Qila.
7. Bajgi retired Subedar dies of heart attack while playing polo at Yasin Polo Ground.
8. Famous polo player Ashraf Gul’s father Khan Muhammad died on the spot after being hit on the head by a polo ball at Chilas Polo Ground.
9. In-service SP Raji Rahmat dies of heart attack on 6 October 2006 while playing polo against Chitral at Shahi Polo Ground.
10. Ameer Haider died of a heart attack while playing at the Old Polo Ground in Gilgit on September 1991.