Hold your horses, Marwari stallion on offer for Rs 21 cr
David, a Marwari horse on display at the ongoing Maghi Mela in Muktsar, has become a major attraction for all equestrian enthusiasts thronging the “ghora mandi”. At 72 inches, this 42-month-old horse is among the tallest stallions here and reportedly has an asking price of a whopping Rs 21 crore as it is the tallest Marwari horse in the country.
Vikramjit Singh Vicky Brar, manager of Sanjam Stud Farm at Badal village, which owns the horse, says they will not sell the horse below this price. “When the horse was born, its value was Rs 1 crore. A lot of horse breeders approach us for mating their mares with David, and we charge Rs 1.25 lakh for each mating,” he says proudly. The horse remained on display at the livestock market at Lambi from January 12 to 15.
Thriving horse trade in Punjab
- The livestock market at Maghi Mela has brought into focus the thriving horse trade in Punjab
- This time round, it is not just the beautiful horses, but also the jaw-dropping prices being sought by stud farm owners that is drawing public attention to the fair
David is not an exception at the horse and mare mandi at Lambi Dhabh in Muktsar. There are quite a few others, like the 69-inch-tall Bilawal, a stallion of the Nukra breed, whose owner, Jaspal Singh from Tarkhanwala village in Muktsar, is also seeking a price in crores for this white equine.
Another mare, Noori, is also drawing crowds for its beauty even as its owner, Gurmel Singh Patwari, is looking at a price of Rs 67 lakh for his 66-inch-tall filly. The livestock market at Maghi Mela has brought into focus the thriving horse trade in Punjab. This time round, it is not just the beautiful horses, but also the jaw-dropping prices being sought by stud farm owners, mostly located in south Malwa, who have displayed their equine beauties, that is drawing public attention to the fair.
There was a time when the horse trade in south Malwa was dominated by the family of former Chief Minister Harcharan Singh Brar, though his own horses did not participate in the fair. They were directly sold to enthusiasts in Pune and Mumbai. The family of another former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, however, would display their equestrian beauties at the fair till a few years ago.
Sukhpal Singh Bhati, contractor in charge of the horse mandi, told The Tribune that this time, 2,800 to 3,000 horses and mares had been brought to the mandi from all over India.
Stud farm owners have brought their animals from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh as well as the neighbouring state of Haryana. “The average studs are being sold at Rs 2.50 to Rs 3 lakh. However, then there are others having perfect ears, teeth, trot and body size, mainly height, which is adding value to their price.
This time, the sales have picked up since yesterday only. However, most people display their horses/mares here for showing off, rather than to actually sell these. The sales happen discreetly, since any sale here includes a 4 per cent commission to be paid to us — the organisers of the horse mandi,” he said.
Inquiries made by The Tribune from the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats reveal that several animal mandis are organised in the state, including at Killianwali, Khanna, Jagraon, Kurali, Dhanaula, Rampura Phul, Subhanpur and Maur.
The state government awarded a contract for running the animal mandis (referred to as dangar mandi in local parlance) for Rs 93.90 crore last year. “The contractor hired last year through a competitive bid pays a monthly instalment of Rs 7.8 crore. Though the contract expired last year, we have given the contractor extension for two months. The fresh bidding will be done soon. There is definitely a lot of money in the business. In 2023, the contract was for Rs 72.46 crore per annum. This year, we hope to award the contract for a much higher sum than Rs 93.90 crore,” Dilraj Singh Sandhawalia, Secretary, Rural Development and Panchayats, said. —TNS
Descendent of Raj Hans
David, which has an asking price of Rs 21 crore, is a direct descendent of Raj Hans stallion, which was owned by former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal.
