Hyderabad to host National Qualifier and Telangana State Equestrian Championship

Hyderabad Polo & Riding Club will host the second National Qualifier of the 2026 season from October 14 to 16, followed by the Telangana State Equestrian Championship from October 16 to 18. Spectator entry is free for both events

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Polo & Riding Club (HPRC), Gandipet, opens five consecutive days of competitive equestrian sport today, hosting the second National Qualifier (NQ) of the 2026 season from October 14 to 16, followed immediately by the second Telangana State Equestrian Championship from October 16 to 18. Both events are being conducted in association with the Telangana State Equestrian Association (TSEA), with the National Qualifier held under the aegis of the Equestrian Federation of India (EFI).

The October fixtures follow the format HPRC established in August, when the club hosted the first National Qualifier of the season in India, followed by its second Equestrian Challenge. The week drew 81 entries and 36 horses to the National Qualifier alone and saw a child finish fourth on a club horse. The State Championship is being held at HPRC in keeping with the club’s undertaking in October 2025 to host the state title annually, so that Telangana’s riders no longer have to travel outside the state to be ranked.

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National Qualifier 2026 — Edition II: October 14 to 16

The National Qualifier is a graded EFI fixture and the mandatory route to the Junior National Equestrian Championships. Riders compete in Dressage and Show Jumping across four age categories — Children II, Children I, Junior and Young Rider — with horses presented for formal veterinary inspection before the competition. The event draws riders and horses from clubs and academies across Telangana and neighbouring states.

Second Telangana State Equestrian Championship: October 16 to 18

Presented by Phoenix Group, the State Championship opens with a practice round on Friday evening and runs through Saturday and Sunday, featuring Hacks, Dressage and Show Jumping. Events range from the 40 cm entry class, kept deliberately affordable so beginners on club horses can compete, to the 105–110 cm Two-phase, the championship’s richest class. Children II, Children I, Junior, Young Rider and Open categories are judged separately. Phoenix Group, Hyderabad, joins the championship as Title Partner, and a representative of the group will present the cash prizes and state medals at the evening ceremonies.

Spectator entry to both events is free. The floodlit evening Show Jumping sessions on Saturday and Sunday, from 4 pm, are expected to draw the largest crowds of the week, with prize ceremonies scheduled for about 7 pm each evening. Snaffles Bistro and Chukkers Lounge at the club will remain open through the day. HPRC is located at Survey No. 177, Aziznagar, Gandipet, minutes from Outer Ring Road Exit 18.