Andhiyur (Erode) :

It was that time of the year again when animal lovers thronged the famous horse shandy in Andhiyur in Erode district. Horses, cows and goats of different breeds and hues were on display for sale on Wednesday and buyers from across the state assessed their pedigree and their worth with a practiced eye. The Andhiyur horse shandy is generally hosted during the Gurunathan Swamy temple festival. Started by Tipu Sultan to sell old army horses to the public, the shandy is more than two centuries old.

Various breeds of horses including Kathiawari, Kathuria, Nokhra and Marwar, goat varieties such as Tellicherryi, Pakistan Kurumbai, Jamnapari, Assam hill goat and Sirohi and a wide range of cows such as Kangeyam and Ongole were available for sale at the shandy. V R S Raja, a participant from Nachipalayam in Coimbatore boasted of his ?Marwari’ horse which is a pedigree breed. “My horse is 6.5ft and is the tallest in this shandy. It is three-and-a-half-years old and costs 25 lakh,” he said. According to him, the tallest horse is 6.8ft tall.

The Tellicherry and Pakistan Kurumbai goats were popular attractions at the shandy. The Tellicherry is preferred for its meat and milk production while the Pakistan Kurumbai is known for its bravery. “A Tellicherry goat weighs 25kg at six months while a normal goat weighs only 18kg at the same age,” said S Arunkumar, an MBA graduate. Unable to find a job, he began rearing goats and now it has become a full-time business for him.

G R Siva from Trichy is passionate about the Kurumbai breed. “My goats are reared to fight. I also have three elephants and Arabian horses which are a high-maintenance breed,” he said. Other goat varieties such as Jamnapari and Sirohi also drew the crowds. “One Jamnapari goat costs 1.5 lakh in the market. It is known for its high milk yield, giving 4 litres of milk daily,” said P Velumani, who has more than 10 Jamnapari goats in his farm in Madurai district.

G V Adhimoolam, a businessman from Erode, showcased his first class Ongole cows at the fair. A pair of Ongole cows would cost 7.5 lakh, he said. “It could go up to 25 lakh depending on its height and beauty,” he said.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Coimbatore / TNN / August 14th, 2014