New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-25
4 MEDLEY or OUTDOOR GAINES.
OF A "GYMKHANA" IN INDIA
SPORTS INDUCED IN BY ENGLISH oFflOhN>
UrPE-"rENT.PEGGIyC" AND OBSTACLE
AND ANIMAL RACES

acrmkhana": well. what Is it Inc worn III
Itself is a compound IIindosancc term mcSninN NV
=. home ~ games" and, with many announcer i'
nbrase has been incorporated into inc SI"''no
vocabulary Of the sportlovine AngosaNoh r''c'
49,. a. ,orsoIy II is a medley Of games. 10 'hiNch
the monotony Of garrison life in the many 'u'''on'
- rda Tho officer, from time 10 time get mp Ntecpo
chosos and athletic sports for the men, Nl'cE "o
conquest Of the runjaub. men learnt new games .''
,rorc Immediately dubbed good Tcn'-pcFElnE'
lemon cutting and last but not least polo were It"
once adopted by the English All these sports "'''
incorporated into the programme and added ne"
zcst. c,..
The " cyrnkhana" came into existence about hitcch
wears ago and its birthplace. a that OF badnlh'""'
lawn tennis and polo. was India. Ihc st'rp''' "'
has the place of honor in gymkhana.' me '"'",
should be in view all round from the grand Sthlu'
At any rate the big water jump must be- Tor thec j.
some innate evilncss in both mon and women 20 e'"'
seeing another one a "croppcr.' especially j IL,
is souscd in water. where little or no harm can p'iA
him. The winning post Of course must be re' III
front Of the stand.
An animal race always forms part Of a gynkhana'
Here each competitor brings to the starting post some
Quadr7lpcd or biped Pigs, dogs. fowls cats rats,
rabbits the gentle tortoise. all eligible ana II
some strange animal bird can be procured ue
fun /, all the mcrrier Each ANIMAL or bird must be-
held by string, but il Is not advisable. for tho
harmony Of the race to place the dog next IN me
to the cat the latter in juXtapoNtion 10 the rat
The writer when In Africa, saw race IN when a
secretary bird was entered with every chance u
winning. Next il "A rat. The bird csp"d the
rodent few before the start. and Win one
hump of foot killed It. The next second tho rat
had been swallowed. The secretary bird was ruled
out Of the race
An obstacle race is lndispen able. This Is a race
for men, and II must Doe left 70 the ingenuity Of the
stewards to devise the obstacles race the writer
remembers began with some fairly sim hurdles. be
yond these cutanr,cment easily made with stout
stakes and wire run every direction around them.
Beyond that VIDE waite. trench. and then tar
paun, r!vcted HE ground. under which tine com
pct.tors had 10 crawl. EcXt table. with good
old dry bun for each. which had TO be eaten and ih
"a large bottle Of caerye,cns e.ngcrnser. Tonrhar
rls with both end, knocked out, and pended from
a s,alIod, improved the appearance Of ilc men when
| they divcd through them, and last climb over
palisades built close together, about much
most men cared T. 90 through Ia an obstacle race
a bIhdioId "hcrlDlrI"" rae, j. dHu'IHL g. p ''''N
when the puSher make, stral;ht for ore of Oh" 40
joining ditchc,. For the hciscmcn. pf.tt; and cN
c.Ient competition i, tent pc-g.ur. Al ord arr
! tent peg b. firmly fixed ~ the ground. Each com
The peg and carry IL Oh tic tip If the lance. Ihc7e
| lance, are always made Dl iifIbJ1 and tipped win
steel. The rider carries tlr lance ln h, night hand
with the elbow Of the arm bent Wen outward u The
peg Il ,Quarcy struck. On" ilct rider bring ~ home
comes 10 the finish with only r." scraps - mother
Another capital race u a IdiuE iann"in race lh'N
man ride, one pony while hc dives the lrdier. and
! every must carry Il tandem whip. \ cigar race
cause, "a good deal OF fun. The compctltoy- start oi
bareback .tecd-. and. on Ieacliu- one limit. luml
on saddle their ponie. light cigar, and MAX" thc
| lc.t time 10 the winning post. The cigar mat b.
aght when the jLdsc j. reached.
Local industric, NAV be used IN aiding the pro
add 70 the interest Of thc SPORT, and the small boy
Of the village VIII gladly Join IN a p6ttt" race il
| this a ont..in number Of potatoes are placed in
line, and each youths task J. I" run ana PICK t'cm
up one by one and return them TO a basket
| As said before. dozen different games can be ar
ranged all depending Oh the locality and IL different
! rr.0urcc. For those who are uohy enough ~ make
inc -uIrrcI resort, their home, r. mkl!ana' j,
thing - hc thought about, and II can be made dc
cdcd success # the young mon and women 20 To worF
| on 10 with a Will.