As a car nerd who grew up in the internet age, my first introduction to the word “gymkhana” was likely the same as many of the lovely folks reading this article — when the legend Ken Block unleashed his death-defying vehicular wizardry 16 long years ago. My blissfully ignorant mind assumed that Block had coined the term since it was such a wacky word, but assumptions make an ass out of you and me; it takes research to learn the truth. Imagine my surprise when I recently learned that the word gymkhana has other, longer-standing meanings aside from effortlessly yeeting a Subaru WRX around an abandoned military base and executing superhuman levels of coolness, skill, and precision.
The top definition in the Webster dictionary for the word gymkhana is actually quite broad; it’s a meet featuring sports contests or athletic skills. It was first-used in 19th century India to refer to gatherings where folks would display athletic and equestrian skills. Webster identifies the automotive implementation of the word as the more common modern usage, however. Gymkhana also happens to be the name of an Indian restaurant in London that has two Michelin stars, in case that tidbit of useless knowledge ever comes up when you’re on Jeopardy.
A gymkhana is a gymkhana whether you’re harnessing literal horse power or exploiting hundreds of horsepower from behind the wheel of a car. Equestrian gymkhana events consist of any combination of timed speed events, skill races, and games including show jumping, barrel racing, keg racing, pole bending, and flag racing. These events all require extreme precision, control, and skill, which really isn’t that different from the art of automotive gymkhana.
While we may have Ken Block to thank for popularizing the term gymkhana among gearheads, it’s not a word that he originally coined. There have been gymkhanas taking place around the world for centuries, whether mastering skills on horseback or showing off your car control.