Tumakuru: In probably a first of its kind attack, two male horses imported from Ireland and America, were killed after being bitten by honeybees in the Kunigal Stud Farm in Karnataka's Tumakuru district in a span of two days, sources said. The deceased horses are identified as 10-year-old 'Sanus per Akcham' imported from Ireland and a 15-year-old 'Air Support' from America.
It is learnt that the handlers have left the horses for grazing on Wednesday. At about 1 o'clock in the afternoon, suddenly a swarm of bees attacked both the horses, sources said. The workers at the farm noticed the attacked after both the horses neighed in writhing pain and fell down. A team of veterinarians was pressed into the service to treat the injured animals.
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Not responding to the treatment, Sanus Per Akcham died at 10 pm on Thursday while Air Support breathed its last on Friday morning. The American Air Support Horse has participated in the Virginia Derby and Pilgrama Stakes, Translaneia Stakes, Second United Nations Stakes, Third American Turf Stakes, Second Hill Prince Stakes Race and to have brought hefty prize money running into lakhs of rupees. Ireland's 10-year-old Sanus Per Accham has won the five-star race three times and helped its owner make a handsome profit.
These two horses, which have done well in horse racing, were bought from America and Ireland six years ago by the stud farm which is owned by the United Racing and Bloodstock Breeders (URBB) for Rs1 crore each, said Lokesh who manages the farm. The horses have fathered hundreds of offsprings.
The foals were bought by different states and countries for a huge sums and were being used in races across the country and across the globe. The government had awarded the lease to URBB for a period of 30 years in Karnataka. The lease period had ended last September.
