Neza bazi is tent pegging: a rider gallops down a straight track and tries to pierce a small wooden peg in the ground with a lance, then carry it away on the tip. In Punjab it is both a competitive sport and a village spectacle, played at melas with drums, crowds and teams that arrive with decorated horses. If you want to see it, the options are Lahore's Horse and Cattle Show, provincial tournaments, and local melas on the edge of garrison towns such as Rawalpindi.
There is no single national calendar, so this guide is about how the sport works, where it has been reported, and how to find an event rather than a list of fixed dates.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| What | Mounted sport: ride at the gallop and spear a wooden peg with a lance |
| Known as | Neza bazi (also neza baazi) in Pakistan |
| Where it is played | Mainly northern Punjab; melas around Rawalpindi and other towns |
| Big events | National Horse and Cattle Show, Lahore (held 11 to 15 February in 2025); provincial cups |
| Tickets | Melas are usually open fields; stadium events vary |
| Season | Dates vary; Lahore's show was held in February in 2025 |
What is neza bazi?
The word neza means lance. Tent pegging is one of ten equestrian disciplines recognised by the International Equestrian Federation, and the sport is played in Pakistan, India, Oman, South Africa, Australia and the UK. It is traditionally explained as cavalry training: riders practised dislodging the pegs of enemy tents, and the sport's earliest recorded instances are usually dated to the British Raj, though some accounts reach back much further.
In Pakistan it is more of a way of life than a minor sport. Reporters describe it as played mostly in northern Punjab, and the events are called melas, a word that means a fair. The setting is usually a long open field on the outskirts of a garrison city, with thousands of spectators lining the edges and dhol players making noise throughout.
How a competition works
The basics, from published accounts:
- A rider and a lance. The rider gallops along a marked track and aims the lance at a wooden peg buried in the ground.
- Scoring. In one description, touching the peg scores two points and spearing it and carrying it away scores four. In a description of the sport as played by Punjabi clubs, pegs get smaller as rounds go on and the last rider standing wins.
- Teams. Clubs enter several riders. At one mela reported by Al Jazeera in 2026, 74 teams were competing.
- Single, double and triple lance. International competition includes events with one, two or three lances at a time, as seen at Lahore's 2025 show.
- Oriental and international styles. One account says that in the international style the key moment is the lance hitting the peg, while in the oriental style the start and the charge of the horse count for more. Judging and style can therefore differ from one event to the next.
The horses are as much of the show as the riders. They are decorated, and teams have handmade equipment with designs specific to the team.
Where can you watch neza bazi?
Lahore: the National Horse and Cattle Show
The Horse and Cattle Show returned to Lahore in February 2025, and the tent pegging and mounted archery took place at Fortress Stadium and the Banyan Tree Polo Ground. Dawn reported more than 50 teams and over 250 riders, including 13 international teams, with events in single, double and triple lance formats. It is the most visitor-friendly way to see the sport, with a stadium, a programme and ticketing. Our guide to the National Horse and Cattle Show in Lahore covers the venue and what else is on.
Provincial tournaments
Punjab Police organised the third IG Punjab Tent Pegging Cup in February 2026 at the Punjab Constabulary Headquarters at Farooqabad, where 44 teams took part, and a two-day national event was held in Okara in January 2025. These are reported in the news a short time before and after, so follow Pakistani sports pages if you want to attend one. Access to a police headquarters or an event inside a secure compound may be restricted to invited guests, so check first.
Village and garrison-town melas
The traditional setting is the mela field. Al Jazeera describes them as typically held on the outskirts of garrison cities such as Rawalpindi, and videos and reports mention events in places such as Jhelum and Bhakkar, including floodlit evening meets. We could not verify any regular event in Chakwal. Dates are set locally by clubs and organising committees and are not published in one place.
The practical way in is to ask. Local riding clubs, tent pegging club pages on social media and people near horse-breeding areas of north Punjab know when the next mela is. Go with someone from the area if you can.
Who plays: the women's clubs
Neza bazi is overwhelmingly a male sport with male fans, but that is changing. Al Jazeera's 2026 report describes the Bint-e-Zahra Club as Pakistan's first female-only tent pegging club, competing at a mela with riders as young as 16 and a 32-year-old mother of two competing in her first mela. For visitors, this also means that women are still unusual at the field itself, as spectators as well as riders.
Pakistan's international record
Pakistan finished first at the International Tent Pegging Federation's World Cup qualifier in Oman in September 2026, with 455 points and six gold, five silver and two bronze medals. That earned a place at the fifth World Cup, to be held in Jordan, according to ProPakistani and Radio Pakistan; we could not confirm the exact dates. The sport's international federation is based in Muscat and has 28 member countries.
Tips for first-time spectators
- Stand behind the barriers and do not walk onto the track. Horses gallop at speed and the line of run is fixed.
- Arrive early and bring water. Melas often run for hours and shade can be scarce in an open field.
- Dress for dust and sun, and wear closed shoes. Modest clothes are the norm, and women attending should consider going with a group, as the crowds are mostly men.
- Ask before photographing riders and spectators. Most people are happy to be photographed with their horse, but ask first.
- Do not feed or touch the horses without permission.
- Check the day. Mela dates are not set in advance in public listings, so confirm with a local contact before you travel.
Is it worth seeing?
Yes, if you like horses, noise and a bit of unpredictability. A mela is raw, local and hospitable in a way that a stadium show is not. The Lahore show gives a neater first look with seating and a programme, then a village mela shows what the sport means to the people who play it.
It is a poor fit if you need fixed dates and tickets, if you dislike dust and crowds, or if you would be uncomfortable being one of very few women or foreigners at a mostly male event. Pair it with other Punjab culture on our Punjab culture and traditions guide or browse more festivals and experiences.
Frequently asked questions
What is neza bazi?
It is the Pakistani name for tent pegging, a mounted sport in which a rider gallops and tries to pick up a wooden peg from the ground with a lance.
Where can I watch tent pegging in Pakistan?
At Lahore's National Horse and Cattle Show (held in February in 2025), at provincial cups, and at village melas, especially around Rawalpindi and other towns in northern Punjab.
When is the next neza bazi event?
There is no single published calendar. Follow news from Punjab sports bodies and local clubs, and expect big events in winter and spring. Confirm every date shortly before you go.
Do I need a ticket?
For stadium events, perhaps, and prices vary. We found no reported entry fee for village melas, which are usually open fields.
Can women attend?
Women compete and watch, but the crowds at melas are mostly male. Going with a group or a local host is sensible.
