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best in North-Western Provinces, is that all these remounts were purchased
from dealers and none from breeders.
73. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, in his report
states:—
" The district money I consider could have been better distributed, for instance, there is very
little use in giving prizes to owners of geldings 3 and 4 years old, as in the majority of cases they
are not the men who had the colts castrated ; nor is it advisable to give prizes to ponies under
13 hands. In two cases the value of the prize was greater than that of the prize winner."
Having attended this show I quite agree with these remarks, and I think
it is to be regretted that the same license was not given to the Judging Com-
mittee as is done at all other shows. It is useless to appoint Judging Com-
mittees and then to tie them down to hard and fast rules laid down by District
Boards.
74. This district will require much fostering and care, if it is to be retained
as a 1st class horse breeding centre ; for not only, as has already been shown, is
the show fast becoming a dealers fair, but also the number of mares covered
in the district is annually decreasing.
Etawah Horse
Show.
75. This show, held from 19th to 26th November 1894, is so very disappoint-
ing that I strongly recommend its abolition. The Superintendent, Civil Vete-
rinary Department, reports that it is simply used as a halting place by dealers
who have failed to sell their stock at Batesar. He also adds:—
" All the classes filled badly and some fell through altogether. The principal prize winners
were a mare and three fillies bred by Mr. Alexander, late Collector."
This is fully borne out by the fact that only 23 animals competed in all
the classes for which prizes were offered.
76. Only 2 head of young stock was purchased by the Remount Officer,
and I regret to find that his opinion of Etawah as a horse show is most unfa-
vourable. This officer reports as follows :—
" During the past five years only three remounts have been obtained at this fair, and these
have been purchased by me from dealers; none of these animals were got by the Government
sire standing at Etawah.
Horse breeding does not appear to flourish at Etawah. All the horses exhibited for sale
appeared to be the same as those shown at Batesar, and I only saw one which was got by the
Norfolk Trotter sire " Contederate," from whom great expectations have been held out. The show
is, in my opinion, the worst in the North-Western Provinces, and I regret that I am unable to report
more favourably on it than I did last year."
77. In the circumstances, I shall recommend that the sum of Rs. 200
hitherto allotted as prizes from Imperial Funds be transferred to some more
promising show.
Garhmuktesar
Horse and Mule
Show.
78. This is the first occasion on which this show has been noticed in the
Annual Administration Report of the Department, but I feel that it can no
longer be ignored as it promises to be the large mule market of the North-
Western Provinces.
79. The show was held from 7th to 14th November 1894, the number of
animals present being mules 1,550, donkeys 675, and horses 40.
80. The 6th Bengal Cavalry obtained 15 very useful Transport mules.
Major Wheler, who purchased for this regiment, remarks:—" Mules good;
prices ranging high;" but still the average was only Rs. 135, I scarcely think
that this can be called a high price for mules that averaged 12-2½ in height.
The Commissariat Department succeeded in obtaining 16 mules. The
Imperial Service Troops also bought mules at this show.
81. With reference to the horses, the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary De-
partment, reports:
" Only 40 horses were present, but this was an increase of 8 on last year. This number could
be very much increased if prizes were given from Imperial Funds. Although the number was
small, the quality was good and all were bred in the district. In the class for branded mares three
out of the four prize winners were the produce of Government sires, as also were the prize win-
ners in the class for "young horses likely to make remounts."
82. This officer makes the following recommendations for the improvement
of this show :
(1) " That instead of advertising the fair for 8 days, it be advertised for two, namely, the
two days previous to the bathing day. This year the fair was advertised to be held from the 7th
to the 14th; I attended on the 8th and found only one mule on the fair ground.