In a surprising shift at the renowned Pushkar annual cattle fair, traditionally known for camel and bovine sales, horse trading has taken centre stage this year. According to the animal husbandry department, sales of Marwadi and Kathiawadi horses have far outpaced those of cattle, signalling a major change in buyer preferences.
As of Friday, 224 horses had been sold, generating over ₹75 lakh in total revenue. Officials also dismissed social media claims of crores being exchanged for horses, clarifying that the highest legitimate sale so far was ₹4.6 lakh — a Jaipur-based owner selling a horse to a buyer from Uttarakhand.
Anmol, the ₹23-crore buffalo
Amid these changes, one buffalo named Anmol from Rajasthan has captured attention for its claimed valuation of ₹23 crore. The owner said the buffalo is treated like royalty and fed a special diet that includes milk, desi ghee, and dry fruits every day.
“He is given special food every day which includes milk, desi ghee and dry fruits,” the owner said.
Shahbaz, the ₹15-crore horse
Another major attraction is Shahbaz, a two-and-a-half-year-old Marwari horse from Chandigarh, owned by Gary Gill. Valued at ₹15 crore, the young stallion has already won multiple shows and comes from a prestigious lineage.
“Shahbaz, a two-and-a-half-year-old horse, has won multiple shows and belongs to a prestigious lineage,” Gill told ANI. “His covering fee is ₹2 lakh, and his asking price is ₹15 crore. Offers of up to ₹9 crore have been received.”
Gill added that the horse’s breeding cost alone is ₹2 lakh, and visitors have been lining up to catch a glimpse of the prized animal at the fair.
Shift in buyer preference
Traditionally, Pushkar fair has been a marketplace for cows and buffaloes. However, buyers are now gravitating toward horses, partly due to their continued utility in rural transport. “For the past few years, people have been more inclined toward purchasing horses, which in rural areas are still a mode of transportation,” said a senior animal husbandry officer.
By October 30, 207 camels had also been sold for ₹35 lakh, while sales of other livestock were negligible — only five buffaloes and one cow were recorded. “People are interested in horses and camels as a means of transport. In many districts, camel and horse carts are still used to carry food grains to mandis,” Sunil Ghiya, joint director of animal husbandry, told TOI.
Officials refute viral crore-rupee claim
Ghiya also denied viral social media reports of a horse being sold for over ₹1 crore, confirming that the most expensive sale was ₹4.6 lakh. The lowest camel price was ₹8,000, sold by Hasan Khan from Jaisalmer’s Sam area to Banwari of Tonk.
Decline in cattle demand
The fall in cattle sales has been attributed to the widespread use of modern farming machinery. “Bulls are no longer needed for agricultural work due to tractors and other equipment. It’s also risky to transport cows or buffaloes from such fairs due to the fear of attacks. We now prefer buying locally,” said Choturam Devasi, a cattle farmer from Jalore’s Raniwara area.
(With inputs from TOI)
As of Friday, 224 horses had been sold, generating over ₹75 lakh in total revenue. Officials also dismissed social media claims of crores being exchanged for horses, clarifying that the highest legitimate sale so far was ₹4.6 lakh — a Jaipur-based owner selling a horse to a buyer from Uttarakhand.
Anmol, the ₹23-crore buffalo
Amid these changes, one buffalo named Anmol from Rajasthan has captured attention for its claimed valuation of ₹23 crore. The owner said the buffalo is treated like royalty and fed a special diet that includes milk, desi ghee, and dry fruits every day.
“He is given special food every day which includes milk, desi ghee and dry fruits,” the owner said.
Shahbaz, the ₹15-crore horse
Another major attraction is Shahbaz, a two-and-a-half-year-old Marwari horse from Chandigarh, owned by Gary Gill. Valued at ₹15 crore, the young stallion has already won multiple shows and comes from a prestigious lineage.
“Shahbaz, a two-and-a-half-year-old horse, has won multiple shows and belongs to a prestigious lineage,” Gill told ANI. “His covering fee is ₹2 lakh, and his asking price is ₹15 crore. Offers of up to ₹9 crore have been received.”
Gill added that the horse’s breeding cost alone is ₹2 lakh, and visitors have been lining up to catch a glimpse of the prized animal at the fair.
Shift in buyer preference
Traditionally, Pushkar fair has been a marketplace for cows and buffaloes. However, buyers are now gravitating toward horses, partly due to their continued utility in rural transport. “For the past few years, people have been more inclined toward purchasing horses, which in rural areas are still a mode of transportation,” said a senior animal husbandry officer.
By October 30, 207 camels had also been sold for ₹35 lakh, while sales of other livestock were negligible — only five buffaloes and one cow were recorded. “People are interested in horses and camels as a means of transport. In many districts, camel and horse carts are still used to carry food grains to mandis,” Sunil Ghiya, joint director of animal husbandry, told TOI.
Officials refute viral crore-rupee claim
Ghiya also denied viral social media reports of a horse being sold for over ₹1 crore, confirming that the most expensive sale was ₹4.6 lakh. The lowest camel price was ₹8,000, sold by Hasan Khan from Jaisalmer’s Sam area to Banwari of Tonk.
Decline in cattle demand
The fall in cattle sales has been attributed to the widespread use of modern farming machinery. “Bulls are no longer needed for agricultural work due to tractors and other equipment. It’s also risky to transport cows or buffaloes from such fairs due to the fear of attacks. We now prefer buying locally,” said Choturam Devasi, a cattle farmer from Jalore’s Raniwara area.
(With inputs from TOI)
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