NEWS RELEASE Contact: Lisa Jackson
859-259-4224
Lisa.Jackson@ky.gov Birthplace of Polo Donates Exhibit To International Museum Of The Horse
Manipur Governor Gifts Items To Protect Endangered Manipuri Pony LEXINGTON, KY, USA/IMPHAL, MANIPUR, INDIA (November 16, 2012) Today the International Museum of the Horse at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington unveils a new exhibit chronicling the contributions of the people and ponies of Manipur. This Southeastern Himalayan kingdom, now a state in North East India, introduced the sport of polo to the British in 1854. "This unique new exhibit is a perfect complement to the popular displays already enjoyed by visitors to the Kentucky Horse Park and the International Museum of the Horse," Gov. Steve Beshear said. "We're grateful for this generous gift, which furthers the museum's educational mission and helps tell the story of how cultures around the world share Kentuckians' love of horses." His Excellency Shri Gurbachan Jagat, the Governor of Manipur, who made the generous gift of exhibit materials on behalf of the people of the Manipur, said, "Over the last century and a half, the sport of polo has become synonymous with British horsemanship. However, the story of how the British learned of the game, and of the people and ponies that first introduced it to them has remained shrouded in history."
The exhibit in the Horse in Sport gallery features a traditional Manipuri polo saddle, braided bridle, braided leather whip, a full set of traditional polo player's attire, two traditional polo mallets, a ball made of bamboo root, and a set of traditional equestrian darts. They were designed and constructed by Meisnam Khelen of Imphal, former captain of the Manipur Polo team.
It also offers a comparison with modern American polo gear provided by the United States Polo Association. "We are very interested in the fascinating antecedents of our game and are pleased to have been a part of this new exhibit," said Ed Armstrong, Director of Tournaments at the United States Polo Association.
The Manipuri Pony is still used for polo in Manipur. The traditional game is played with seven players per side, and many villages have polo fields. Unfortunately, the Manipuri pony is now an endangered breed with an estimated population of fewer than 500. Governor Jagat's gift and the creation of the exhibit represent new international and local efforts in Manipur to protect the ponies that bear their name.
Bill Cooke, Director of the International Museum of the Horse, stated: "We are extremely grateful to Governor Jagat and people of Manipur not only for their significant donation of ethnographic material related to the Manipuri Pony, but also for allowing us to do our small part to raise awareness of these historically significant animals and the current threat of their extinction. The museum is also grateful to Dr. R. K. Nimai Singh, Secretary to the Governor and Commissioner of Arts and Culture, and L. Somi Roy, a film and media arts curator in New York, for arranging the gifts."
Editor's Note: Museum contacts for the exhibit at the International Museum of the Horse, a Smithsonian Affiliate, are:
• Bill Cooke, International Museum of the Horse, Lexington, KY, USA, 859/259-4231, bill.cooke@ky.gov.
• Dr. R. K. Nimai Singh, Raj Bhavan, Imphal, Manipur, India, rknimai@yahoo.co.in.
-30-
The Kentucky Horse Park is a working horse farm/theme park and equine competition facility dedicated to man's relationship with the horse. The park is an agency of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet and hosted more than 825,000 visitors and campers, as well as 15,000 competition horses in more than 200 special events and horse shows in 2011. The park is home to the National Horse Center which comprises more than 30 national and regional equine organizations. Located at Exit 120, Interstate 75, just north of Lexington, the Kentucky Horse Park is The place to get close to horses. Information about the park's programs and activities can be found on-line at www.KyHorsePark.com, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.
|
