PRiME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA 29 MAY 1979
GIFT OF ARAB STALLION
A final selection has been made of an Arab stallion to be
presented as an official gift from Australia to India.
The selection was announced today after a meeting between
the Prime Minister, Major V. P. Singh, Commander of the
Bodyguard of the President of India, and Colonel S. B. L. Kapoor,
Military Adviser, Indian High Commission.
Major Singh was invited to Australia to make the final
selection of an Arab stallion which the Prime Minister had
offered to the President of India during his recent visit.
A s, ALrt-list of stallions had been chosen in consultation
with the President of the Australian Arabian Horse Soc. iety
and an international Arab horse judge, Mr John Wyatt.
The horse selected is a grey Arab stallion, Podarge, bred
at the Crofts Arabian Stud, Silverdale, New South Wales.
He is 15.2 hands and 6 years old. Podarge is the Champion
Arab stallion of the 1979 National ( Canberra) Show and the
son of Aethon, Supreme Champion at the Sydney Royal Easter
Show for five consecutive years.
Podarge will be used by the Presidential Bodyguard in
New Delhi for all ceremonial occasions for the President
and for visiting Heads of State. It is planned that Podarge
will become the founder sire for the Indian Arab Horse Society.
/ 2
2
Mr Fraser said that the appearance of Podarge in
ceramonial parades would be a symbol of the strong ties
of friendship between Australia and India.