70
SIND HORSE SHOWS.
Jacobabad
Horse Show.
440. Jacobabad (Sind Horse Show) commenced on 10th January 1898,
and may be looked upon as having been very successful. There was a slight
falling off in the actual numbers present, viz: 1,125 against 1,395 last year, but
the general excellence of the exhibits is said to have been more than maintained.
Great care was exercised in classifying and resulted in 80 animals being eliminated.
441. The brood mares and young stock are reported by the Superintendent
to have been excellent classes and better than former years, whilst it is pleasing
to learn that the gelding class was the largest and best that has ever been exhibited
at Jacobabad.
442. Eight head of young stock were purchased for the Remount Depôt at
Ahmednagar; these are described by Veterinary-Captain Morgan, the Superintend-
ent, Civil Veterinary Department, Bombay, as very good, well-grown, and
shapely. This is worthy of note, and will have to be alluded to when allusion is
made to a comparison drawn by him as to the relative merits of Deccan and Sind
stock.
443. With reference to mules and mule-breeding, the Superintendent, Civil
Veterinary Department, Bombay, states:—
Mules and mule-breeding, very good. A great many of the mares in the opinion of the judges, too good for the
industry. 71 mules were exhibited; with few exceptions, all under 3 years of age. and it is evident that a large
trade in mules is carried on between Sind and the Punjab. Only 16 mules were purchased at the Show, 4 by the 15th
Bengal Lancers and 12 for the 5th Bombay Cavalry.
444. I cannot understand any Judging Committee coming to the conclusion
that the mares were too good for the industry ; especially is this to be regretted
in a country where we have the greatest difficulty to induce owners to keep mares
for mule-breeding, possessing size and quality.
I trust that now Sind is handed
over to Imperial control for purposes of horse and mule-breeding, that the breeders
will continue to follow this practice, as it will be the means of giving us a number
of good Ordnance mules.
445. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, concludes his
remarks on this Show by giving the following table, and with reference to it he
remarks:—
The following table in connection with this Show is of great interest and shows at a glance the district from
which the best and largest number of horses come. Shikarpur compares very unfavorably with the Jacobabad
district and Baluchistan:—
1897.
1898.
Year.
Exhibits ...
Prizes ... ...
Exhibits ...
Prizes ... ...
Saharanpur.
163
42
81
26
Jacobabad
District.
670
81
434
68
Baluchistan.
500
127
449
166
Afghanistan.
63
10
107
14
446. The above table is certainly instructive, showing as it does the close
connection between horse-breeding in Baluchistan and Sind. It will be seen that
Baluchistan exhibits took 60 per cent. of all the prizes awarded.
Moro
(Naushahro)
Horse Show.
447. This Show was a great failure, only 399 animals being exhibited
against 623 last year.
This is accounted for by the Superintendent, Civil
Veterinary Department, Bombay, as follows:—
This great falling off is attributed to the fact that the season was unfavorable and that an idea was prevalent
amongst the people that Government proposed seizing this opportunity to impress animals for transport purposes in
connection with operations on the frontier.
The success of a Show depends on a great measure in the general interest taken by the Officer in charge, and the
inferiority of the exhibits this year may be partly accounted for by the fact that the division changed hands no less
than three times.
448. Not only did this Show fall off in numbers, but the quality was also
inferior. The brood mares are described as a poor class in comparison with former
years, and the same remarks apply to the remounts.
449. The one redeeming feature of this Show was the mule class. On
this subject the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, reports as follows:—