A street performer puts on a goat-and-monkey show at the Race Course spring festival. PHOTO: AYESHA MIR/EXPRESS
The last day of the Horse and Cattle Show was marred by rain showers. Many in the audience held polythene sheets above them to stay out of the rain. Several scheduled events had to be cancelled on account of bad weather.
Horse and camel tent-pegging, motorcycle stunt riding, float parade and hound race were among the events cancelled. The unity dance was performed under a tent.
Sunday’s session drew the largest audience yet.
Naila Akhtar, a visitor, said she loved all the performances, especially the Rangers’ parade and the naachi bakri. She was, however, unimpressed with the sitting arrangements. Considering the weather, she said, the organisers should have arranged for a canopy for the audience. “I saw several children begging their parents to stay on for the duration of the show but most of them had to leave because of the rain.”
The organisers had arranged polythene sheets for visitors but those who didn’t get the sheets ran for cover towards the far end of the pavilions that had canopies.
The chief guest for the day was National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq.
At the end of the morning session, shields, certificates and cash prizes were distributed among cattle breeders.
MNA Hamza Shahbaz was the chief guest at the evening session. Despite the intermittent rain, the session attracted a huge turnout – organisers estimated at least 25,000 visitors. Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman, Food Minister Bilal yasin, Punjab Assembly Acting Speaker Sardar Sher Ali Gurchani and MNA Pervaiz Malik also attended the closing session. The Mashal Parade by the Punjab Rangers left the audience spellbound. One of the visitors said, “I am in awe of the way they handle the torches...not a step out of place.” The night tent-pegging event, which had also been a major crowd-puller the last few days, was cancelled because of the strong winds.
There was a spectacular firecracker show towards the end. Shehzad Aslam, a visitor, said, “My children forced me to come today because they wanted to watch the firecrackers,” he said.
Dr Masood, stationed at the emergency medical camp, said several jawans and performers had visited him. Most of them had complained of fatigue, he said.
Dr Ghulam Hussain, at the medical camp for livestock, said doctors at the camp had examined 968 animals, mostly horses and camels, over 10 days. He said the most common ailments were constipation, diarrhoea and fever.
Exhibition and sports festival
There was a sports festival arranged at Gaddafi Stadium and an exhibition at Race Course Park, as part of the spring festival. They weren’t organised as well as the main show at Fortress Stadium.
A lot of people visited Race Course Park but did not stay for long owing to large puddles. The joy rides were also suspended on account of the rain.
At Gaddafi Stadium, the duration of each event was shortened on account of rain. The final football match that was scheduled for 2pm was shifted to the University of Central Punjab Sports Complex.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 9th, 2015.
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