𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐊𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐮 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐆𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐠𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

…𝒈𝒆𝒘𝒐𝒈-𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔, 𝒄𝒖𝒍𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

By Tashi Tshewang

The National Khuru Tournament 2025 is currently underway at Changbangdru, Thimphu, with 21 gewog-based teams from across Bhutan competing in one of the nation’s traditional sporting events. Organized by the Bhutan Indigenous Games and Sports Association (BIGSA), the tournament officially commenced on November 24 and will continue until December 7, offering two weeks of competitive khuru action and vibrant community participation.

The tournament is progressing through a knockout format, requiring each team to secure victory to advance to the next stage. This structure has intensified competition, and early match results indicate strong performances from teams representing the eastern and northern regions. Their accuracy, discipline, and consistency have drawn public attention, bringing spectators to the Changbangdru ground to cheer for their respective gewogs.

The 2025 edition reflects a major shift from previous years. Previously an open tournament, this year’s event has been redesigned into a gewog-based competition, a strategic move by BIGSA to promote cultural preservation and strengthen grassroots engagement. By bringing gewog teams into the national spotlight, the organizers aim to deepen community involvement and ensure that traditional Bhutanese games like khuru continue to thrive in a rapidly modernizing society.

As the tournament progresses, it is evolving into more than just a sporting contest. It has become a cultural platform where players, families, and supporters unite to celebrate Bhutan’s indigenous heritage. Younger participants are gaining national exposure, while seasoned players demonstrate mastery built over years of practice. The energy at the venue reflects camaraderie, sportsmanship, and regional pride.

With several matches now completed and more high-stakes rounds ahead, spectators can expect intense rivalries, precise throws, and spirited participation as teams battle for the 2025 national title. The coming days promise a dynamic showcase of tradition, skill, teamwork, and national pride.

Tshewang Namgyal, Senior Technical Officer of Bhutan Indigenous Games and Sports Association, explained, “This is our first gewog-wise tournament, and the main reason for introducing this format is because, until now, we held every gewog tournament as an open category. We did this to understand participation trends and to study why the number of participants was decreasing. In order to encourage more players to take part, we decided to shift to a gewog-based format so that every gewog could genuinely be represented.”

He shared that their research revealed a major issue with previous open tournaments: many players lost motivation even before registering, believing they had little chance of being selected due to highly competitive team formation processes.

He further added, “When it’s an open tournament, only the best of the best gets selected, and the rest are left out. Many players give up because they feel it’s impossible to secure a place on those strong teams. But in a gewog tournament, even two sharp shooters from the same gewog can still be included, which gives everyone a fair opportunity. Every sport grows only when tournaments are held regularly. If we don’t organize events like this, players won’t know why they should stay interested, and they may remain idle even if they have the skill. Archery is our tradition, and to promote it, we are organizing this tournament.”

He continued, “As His Majesty always says, whatever we do must be guided by new ideas and innovation. With modernization, policies must evolve too. By introducing new systems and formats like this, we believe participation will increase. Since this is our first time holding a gewog-wise tournament, we will use the experience gained this year to improve future editions. If participation grows, we may need to shorten the duration, refine registration methods, and adopt better strategies. This year’s tournament is giving us the insights we need to prepare for bigger and better events ahead.”

Phuntsho Dorji from Drametse Gewog said, “BIGSA’s transition from an open khuru tournament to a gewog-based format has completely changed the experience for me. In the past, many players hesitated to participate because the open format was mostly dominated by highly skilled, seeded players, which made the competition feel unbalanced. But this year, playing under a gewog-based system has genuinely revived my motivation and team spirit. Competing alongside familiar faces- friends, neighbors, and fellow gewog members- has strengthened our unity and deepened the sense of belonging. This new format really inspires us to support each other and represent our gewog with pride, dignity, and determination.”

He shared that the new format not only brought fairness to the tournament but also transformed the way teams prepared and supported one another under pressure.

He added, “The knockout format was mentally intense because every single throw determined whether we moved forward or went home. One moment of distraction could end the match. To prepare, we trained with discipline, studied the playing conditions, and planned our player sequence carefully. Although we couldn’t advance to the second round this time, we remain positive and determined to come back stronger next year. Khuru is deeply rooted in our culture, and representing my gewog on a national stage is more than a competition, it is an honour. Standing on the field, I carry the responsibility of upholding my gewog’s reputation with dignity and respect. It truly means a lot to embody the spirit and identity of my community while helping preserve this cherished traditional sport.”

Sangay Tenzin from Jaray Gewog said, “I actually didn’t know about the tournament at first, and by the time I found out, it was already the last day for registration. Because of that, I couldn’t gather the best players from our gewog. We lost our match, but I can honestly say that all the teams were really good. Even in terms of discipline and sportsmanship, everyone showed great respect for one another. Khuru is our traditional sport, and it represents our unique identity. My team and I were truly happy to compete at the national level, and we definitely plan to participate again in the future.”

He reflected that although this year’s participation was lower than expected, the experience strengthened their determination to return stronger in the coming seasons. He added, “We noticed fewer teams this time, but we hope that in the future, more gewogs will come forward and take part. Khuru is an important part of who we are, and events like this help keep our tradition alive. Even though we couldn’t prepare our strongest team this year, we are proud of the effort we put in and grateful for the opportunity to represent our gewog on a national platform.”

A participant from Sherzhong Gewog shared, “The shift to a gewog-based tournament has greatly increased our motivation and team spirit. Representing our own gewog gives us a stronger sense of pride and responsibility. It has brought our players closer because we are not just playing for ourselves, but for our people, our tradition, and the reputation of our gewog. We have always loved playing khuru, and because of our interest, we decided to participate for the first time. This format has made us more united, more disciplined, and more determined to perform well.”

He explained that while the tournament builds unity, the knockout format also brings significant pressure, pushing teams to prepare with greater focus and commitment. He added, “The most challenging part of the knockout system is that there is no second chance- one mistake can end the entire journey. Because of that pressure, every round requires intense focus and preparation. Our team practices consistently, studies our weaknesses, and works on strengthening coordination. We train daily before our matches, discuss strategies, and make sure we enter each round with confidence and a clear game plan. Representing my gewog on a national stage is truly an honor. Khuru is more than a sport for us. Carrying my gewog’s name at the national level makes me feel proud and humbled, and it motivates me to give my best, uphold our cultural spirit, and make my gewog proud.”