42
204. Captain Westlake, the Remount Agent, attended the show and pur-
chased 7 head of young stock.
This officer reports as follows:—
"I am much pleased with my purchases at this fair, and considering that it is the first held for horses,
it promises well in future.
"Prices are cheaper than is usual at most North-Western Provinces shows, and the quality of the stock,
both exhibited and bought, compares very favourably with that of stock inspected at other fairs."
205. Forty-four baggage mules were purchased for Native Cavalry. The
Commissariat and Transport Department was not represented at this show.
Major Gartside-Tipping, Commanding 1st Bengal Cavalry, was able to purchase
18 mules at an average of Rs. 115.
With reference to the mule market at this show, he states:—
"The class of Transport mule was good, though the majority were somewhat small in height; they were
a stout hardy class of mule with, as a rule, good bone and girth."
206. Captain Mardall, 17th Bengal Cavalry, who bought 10 at an average
of Rs. 157, and from 12-3 to 13-1 in height, considers that they were a very
good lot of baggage mules.
207. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, concludes his
report on this show in the following words:—
"In conclusion, I consider that the show has made a great start, and if we continue to get such able
assistance from the District Officers as we got this year, Garhmuktesar may become even as important a fair as
Nauchandi."
"Our best thanks are due to Mr. Wyer, Collector, and to Mr. Edwards, C.S., the Secretary of the show
for the assistance rendered."
208. With this I fully agree, and having attended, I can safely assert that
the success which attended this, the first show held at Garhmuktesar, was en-
tirely due to the indefatigable zeal which Mr. Wyer always evinces in the
interests of both horse and mule breeding in his district.
Makanpur Horse
Fair.
209. This was the first occasion, as far as I can ascertain, on which an
officer of this Department attended this fair.
210. It is most conveniently situated for purchasing officers, being only
three miles from the line of rail.
211. The numbers given by the district authorities, as having been present,
are 3,925. This is in excess of the usual number attending the show, and is
said to be due to the fact that the zemindars in the Punjab and North-West-
ern Provinces were obliged to sell off much of their stock owing to scarcity of
fodder and dearness of grain. The dealers taking advantage of this evidently
bought larger numbers and brought them to this fair for sale.
212. Purchasing officers from five Native Cavalry regiments attended the
fair and were able to purchase 71 remounts at an average of Rs. 244. Seven
were also bought for the Police at an average of Rs. 203. The general opinion
expressed by these officers is most favourable to the horses bought at this fair.
213. Captain Vanrenen, 8th Bengal Cavalry, says, " better class than two
years ago ; more horses fit for remounts at fair prices."
214. Colonel Watts, 7th Bengal Cavalry, says, "a very good lot of
horses, better than last year."
215. Captains Weller, 14th Bengal Lancers, and Knight, 4th Bengal
Cavalry, both class the horses as "good."
216. Considering the low price at which these 71 remounts were bought,
the above opinions must be looked upon as satisfactory.
217. As bearing upon the question of the removal of young stock from
horse breeding districts, I extract the following from the report on this fair by
Veterinary Lieutenant Loughlin, Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Depart-
ment, who attended it. He says:—
"It has often been a puzzle to me what became of a great number of the young stock, the produce of
Government stallions in the North-West. At the different fairs and shows, the numbers exhibited were so
few in proportion to the number of foalings in the districts, that I could not make out what became of them;
this was partly explained at this fair. The Bhojpuries had a separate camp close to the fair and on inspecting
their purchases I found they had over 500, the majority of them being foals of from 4 or 5 months to a year
old, and although in very poor condition and looking bad, the majority were undoubtedly the produce of
Government sires."