The Kadir Cup, 1921

Print after Lionel Edwards, 1921.

Pig sticking, the hunting of wild pig by mounted spearmen, was a popular, exciting and sometimes dangerous pastime of cavalrymen.

According to the 1911 edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica, the Army believed the sport to be good training since 'a startled or angry wild boar is a desperate fighter [therefore] the pig-sticker must possess a good eye, a steady hand, a firm seat, a cool head and a courageous heart'.

In India officers took part in pig-sticking events, the most famous of which was the Kadir Challenge Cup. This print, after Lionel Edwards, clearly demonstrates the dangers involved.