HORSE PARADE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 293, 24 September 1935, Page 6

HORSE PARADE

ELEVEN ANIMALS ON SHOW.

AT ASHBURTON SHOWGROUNDS. TWO DEMONSTRATIONS GIVEN. An outstanding feature of the Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s annual horse parade on the Showgrounds to-day was the substantial increase in entries. The total on the list was 15, which is nine more than last year, and; the largest recorded since 1926. Out of the total entry there were 10 draughts and one pony on parade. There was a good attendance of farmers. The horses paraded were as follow*: Draughts. Romeo (2312), by Marengo (20613), (imp.), G.V.L.C., dam Cauldbarn’s Ruby (55041), (imp.).—Mr A. Wilson, Henley. Allendale (2589), (Vol. 14) N.Z. C.S.B.—Mr J. Bell, Lismore. : : White Foot Supreme, by Windermere Obligation, dam White Foot Pearl, bred by exhibitor.—Mr J. Donaldson, Hinds. Flashprint (G.V.L.C.), (imp.), by Flashdale, by Dur.ure Footprint, dam Yet Merrimaid, by Rising Star, by Dunure Footprint Mr R. A. Oakley, Rakaia. Hayton Refiner, by Comely Sensation, dam by Relief (imp.)—Mr W. Letham, Lauriston. St. Boswell (22067), (imp.), by Benefactor (20867), dam Sandy Knowe Jean (56234), by Roll Call (18886), g.dam by Everlasting (11331), bred by, H. M. Templeton, Sandy Knowe, Kelso. —Mr Peter Shearer, Wheatstone. Windermere Isle O’Skye (2721), (Vol. 14), by Lord o’ The Isles (2475), Vol. 13, dam Rosa (imp), (55034), (3310), Vol. 7, bred by D. G. Wright, Windermere.—Mr C. Hale, Ashburton. Venetian (imp.), (2975), foaled in May, 1930, by Benefactor (20867), dam Flower of Art (57106), by Auchen Flower, bred by Jas. Hamilton, Scotland. —• Mr W. J. Doak, Rakaia. Ochtertyre Viceroy, by Scotland Viceroy, dam Lady Ronald. —Mr H. Abott, Coldstream. Colts. Braeside Supreme, by Ray of Hope, dam Fairview Jean, by Scotland’s Success, bred by exhibitor.—Mr S. H. Anderson, Lyndhurst.

Ponies. Ottawa.—Mr S. Dixon, Tinwald

THE DRAUGHT HORSE.

DEMONSTRATION BY MR. BLAIR. Prior to the parade an interesting and instructive demonstration on the draught horse was given by Mr W. D. Blair, M.R.C.V.S., before a fair attendance which included pupils from the Ashburton High and Technical High Schools. After giving a brief description of the history of the Clydesdale breed, Mr Blair dealt with hereditary unsoundness and the importance of breeding from mares that were big and strong and thoroughly sound. He then demonstrated the good points in the selection of brood mares. The height should be about 17 hands and the head of medium size, straight in front, but not coffin shaped, with plenty of depth through the jaw. The eyes should be large, bright and clear and well set, while the neck should bo of medium length with a slight crest, though not quite so pronounced as in the male. The chest should be broad and deep, and the legs (dead straight in front) set well under it. The hair on the legs was often an index to good breeding. The finer and straighter the hair, the finer the breeding. A good big strong open foot was a desirable quality. In this respect attention was desirable in the early life of the horse. Mr Blair also referred to the points in the development of the chest and ribs, allowing for plenty of room for the heart and lungs, and the need for plenty of muscle in the rear quarters from which the propelling power is derived.

At the conclusion of his lecture Mr Blair explained that roaring in a horse was caused from a different condition to broken wind. The former was due to paralysis of the muscles of the throat.

On the motion of Mr S. Crosson the speaker was accorded a vote of thanks. For the benefit of the school pupils, Mr Blair demonstrated comparisons in the points of two brood mares.

THE SOUTHDOWN BREEP.

TALK BY MR. J. H« GRIGG. At the Farmers Auction Mart this afternoon, a talk on the points of the Southdown breed of sheep was given oy Mr J. H. Grigg, of Longbeach. Mr Grigg demonstrated two rams which came from Lady Ludlow’s flock in England last March. These were of very true and even quality. The breed, should be of an even mouse colour round the muzzle. There must be a good masculine bead on any type or ram; it must be dominant, and the head showed this. The nostril had to be square and firm. The mouth was -the next thing to examine. A common fault was a weak lower jaw, a pig jaw. The mouth must be level and the ears small and covered with wool, indicating character and good breeding. The transparent ear was a fault. It was essential to have a springy back, and an absolutely symmetrical body, as it was for mutton that the Southdown stood. The most valuable joint was the leg, and the Southdown must have a well-filled leg, round and thick. It should have short legs, well out on the body. The brisket must be sound and full. Setting in at the knees was a common fault in New Zealand Southdowns. In breeding, dumpiness could be carried too far; there must be a certain amount of length, without looseness between the hip and the first chop. The wool couldi not be too short, Mr

Grigg said. Flesh was what was required. Judges often favoured long wool, and clipping was sometimes resorted to when sales were wanted. The short-woolled 1 yams bred much tetter lambs than the heavily-woolled animals. The ideal face did not have wool on the bridge of the nose. Wool-blind sheep would not fatten so well as those with faces free from wool. In the Shropshire breed the prizes these days were given to the sheep woolled on the face, a tendency that was contrary to the ideals of the original type. There should be goof carriage, gay, with the head in the air. Mr Grigg answered a number of questions, and said that the pure Southdown in England was considered to be a good eating sheep; but the breed was hopeless in this direction in New Zealand because of the dearth of woof. Farmers would not keep them on this account. There was no breed in the world that gave a better cut of mutton than the Southdown wether. The breed should have a short thick neck, as long necks were waste in the butchers’ shops, Long necks were an indication that a Hock was going rapidly to pieces. The average Southdown in England was smaller than that in the Dominion, but that was due to the methods of breeding that had been adopted here, owners trying for better prices with bigger animals at the ram fairs. At the close of the demonstration Mr G. H. B. Lill (president of the association) thanked Mr Grigg for his informative talk.