Traders throng a horse exhibition in H.P.

Rampur (H.P.), Nov 6 : The traders thronged a horse exhibition in Rampur city of Himachal Pradesh, showcasing a rare breed of the horses of Himalayan region.

The three-day horse fair at Rampur in Himachal Pradesh that started on Tuesday and will conclude on Thursday has been attracting buyers from neighbouring states like Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

The main attraction at this year's exhibition is Chaumurti, the rare sturdy breed of Himachal region.

Over 300 horses have been brought by the breeders and the stud farm owners at this year's show and almost all of them are meant for sale.

The horse owners and the businessmen from Spiti, Kaza, Tabo Lahul, Rampur, Kinnaur and Pin valley have been coming with their horses to sell them in the trade fair.

But among all, it is Chaumurti breed that commands premium price.

"I have come here from Lahaul-Spiti. I have been coming here for the past 10-15 years to sell these horses. This is my horse. It fetched the maximum price. It belongs to Chaumurti breed," said Girmid Kalsang, horse owner from Lahaul-Spiti.

Chaumurti breed is found in north Himalayan region of Himachal Pradesh.

Known as 'snow horse' this horse is famous for trotting in ice, snow, nights and dark.

"I have been coming here for the past 30 years. Thirty years back, these horses were worth Rs 500, 700, 1000 and 1200. Now, these horses are worth something between Rs 28,000 to 30,000. These are Lahaul-Spiti and Tibetan horses," Prem Singh Rana, horse buyer from Uttranchal.

Chaumurti breed of horse traces its origin to the Tibet region. In India, Chaumurtis are found in the villages of Himachal Pradesh bordering China. It is believed that centuries ago this horse was first found in remote village of Chaumurti in Tibet and later it was bred and brought to borders of Himachal Pradesh.

This is also called Kayang' in local dialect, which means faster than fire.

Though small in size, Chaumurti with its long mane is the lifeline of the people in tough and difficult terrain on Himalayas.

The breed of Chaumurti is endangered in region. The local horse breeders and the owners participate in Rampur Horse Fair and earn ample money for the rest of the year.

Incidentally, the Rampur Horse Mela is hosted just a week prior to the International Trade Fair at Lavi, also in Himachal Pradesh. This fair is visited by thousands of tourists.

ANI