National Horse and Cattle Show opens after eight-year gap

The National Horse and Cattle Show was opened on Monday by Punjab Governor Lieutenant General Khalid Maqbool (Retd) after a lapse of eight years.
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Chaudhry Pervaiz Ellahi received the governor at Fortress Stadium. Both governor and the chief minister along with members of Punjab Cabinet, senior bureaucrats, high-ranking military officials and a number of foreigners residing in the city watched the colourful presentations by folk dancers, children callisthenics, tent pegging and cavalcade of Pakistan's wealth of livestock.
Saleh Bin Isa Bin Hindi, Advisor to Emir of Bahrain who arrived in Lahore on a three-day visit was among the dignitaries who watched the show.
Punjab Local Government Department in collaboration with Communication and Works, Education and Tourism Departments has arranged this show.
The full dress rehearsal of the show was held on Sunday and Punjab CM, personally supervised the arrangements along with provincial minister for Local Government Raja Basharat.
On the inaugural day, events like unity show, army band display, live stock parade, folk dances, bull-cart race, horse and camel dances, free fall by army paratroopers, callisthenics and greyhound race were held.
The show started with the performance of children who formed pictures of President General Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Jamali, Governor and Chief Minister of Punjab and various other images by joining colour cards.
Some 3,000 Students from various city schools also presented a PT show and callisthenics by forming various diagrams.
Live stock parade include display of best specimen of various breeds of cows, bulls, camels etc, which was followed by bull-cart race, greyhound race, tent pegging competition between various teams from Sargodha, motorcycle trick riding by military police and free fall by army paratroopers from a height of 100,00 feet.
A good number of audience was present in the general enclosures however, the traditional rush of the people which is associated by National Horse and Cattle Show was not seen on inaugural day.