By Francis Mukuzunga WINDHOEK On Saturday the curtain came down on the 47th Windhoek Industrial and Agricultural Show that entertained thousands of visitors and exhibitors alike. The last day of the 10-day event was filled with high expectations in business, education and fun. There were a lot of mixed reactions over the show’s success but the majority of people felt positive about the event , while some felt there is room for improvement next year. In his opening remarks on Thursday, Minister of Education, Nangolo Mbumba, who was guest of honour, emphasized the importance of education at the show. “In the study of economics, we are continuously confronted with the science of production, distribution and consumption and that of supply and demand. What a better place for the economics student to learn and appreciate the interaction of these factors than at the Windhoek Show?” he said. He said the agricultural side of the show also had an educational value attached to it, adding that children and adults alike could learn about Namibia’s 12 breeds of cattle and how to produce them. “The handling of cattle and the science of cattle feeds is here for everyone to experience,” he said. “And what’s more, mix with the farmers and learn from their experiences.” He added that the Windhoek Show is a place where society, agriculture and industry meet to share experiences. “Namibia’s top breeders are at the show and, as the various breeds are evaluated, the judges explain the best characteristics, indeed providing a learning experience,” said Mbumba. Meanwhile, five grand awards were given to exhibitors. Home Furn won prizes for the Grand Overall Winner and the Best Exhibitror titles, while Ibenstein Weavers and Woven Art were joint winners in the Best Namibian Pro-duct/Service section. The Best International Exhibitor was Deco and Frame, while Plastic Packaging and Ibenstein Weavers shared the Best Team Namibia Promoter prize. The theme hall overall winners were as follows: Ahrens Guns (Communication & Services); Bush Craft (Home Makers); Embassy of Indonesia (Internatio-nal); Ohangwena Regional Council (Products of Namibia); Allinad Health Care/Shadonai Beauty School (Health and Beauty) and Shilongo Leather (Clothing, Textile & Jewellery). In all, 197 exhibitors received awards and these were classified in the categories of Gold (51), Silver (62) and Bronze (84). On the agricultural side, several prizes were given to the breeders for the various categories of cattle. These included the Braunvieh, Simmentaler, Hereford, Charolais, Sussex, Afrikaner and Dexter breeds. Experts in the production of some of the finest quality beef cattle in Namibia have interbred some of the stock. The Karakul sheep breeders were also awarded prizes. These included Giel Karsten of Karasburg, Hendrik Duvenage of Aranos and Lovedale Farming cc of the Helmeringhausen area.