SHEEP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 270, 12 November 1892, Page 2

SHEEP.

Judges: Messrs C. Shepherd, R. B. Hamilton, and T. Hall. Stewards : Messrs M. M. Rirkbrido, A. Anderson, F. Robinson, E. Elliott, and W. Wallace.

A New Zealand Agricultural Show without a shoep exhibit would bo so much like tho tragedy of "Hamlet" without the melancholy prince, that everyone oxpected to see a lurge muster of tha woolly ruminants at Potter's Paddock. There was no disappointment on tho part of the exhibition. Partly owing to the fact that tha judges allowed no exhibitor to enter the same exhibit under two different classes, tho number of shoep penned this year waa greater than on any former occasion. They occupied a prominent part of the fioW, uncl ombrucod some hundreds of pens. Tho place did. not attract so much attention as tho horse nnd cattle alloy, for, though the shoep is perhaps tho uioab precious factor in our national woulth, ho is not beautiful, and it requires tho cyo of a shepherd to appreciate his good qualities, oxcopt in the shapo of mutton, when wo all have an interest in him. Bub people, knowing in shoop, woro present in largo numbers, and the patient animals got thair share of attention. Tho diileronces botweon tho various breods might havo boon studied very easily yesterday, for Lincoln;", South Downs, Shropshire Downs, Hatnpshiro Downs and Romnoy Marsh were ail represented, and, to dolighb tho butchers' heart, thero were a Croat many poii9 dovoted lo fut shoop. Tho champions oi the flocks wero ns follows :— Champion Down ran), O. Ballard ; champion Down ewe, (1. Dullard ; champion Lincoln ewo, Samuel T. Suddon ; champion Lincoln ram, John McNicol. QNCOLNS. Rnms over 18 tnonlliß.—2nd, John McNicol ; highly commended, C. T. Barriball; commended, Robert) Hall. I Jam, under 18 months.—lst, Jamos Wallace; 2nd, Alfred Buckland ; h.c, Josopli Barugh. Pen of Threo Evvoa, suckling Lamb 3.— lab, Joseph Barugh ; 2nd, Jumes Wallace ; b.c, Robort llali. Pen of Threo Ewes under 18 months.— Ipt, Samuel T. Kcddon ; 2nd, Robert Hall. All the oxhibits highly commended. Pon of Five Rums, under 18 months.— 11st, John iMcNicol; 2nd, Jainoa Wallace; h.c, Joseph Baru(;h. Pen of Five Ewes, under 18 months.—lst, John McNicol; 2nd, C. T. Barriball. Pon of Ton Ewes under 18 months.—lst, Samuel T. Seddon ; 2nd, John McNicol ; c, J. Forest. Pen of Ton Ram Hoggets.— Ist, John McNicol; 2nd, C. T. Barriball. Mr Karriball gob the cup, Mr McNicol having rofused it. UOMNEY MARSH. Ram, over 18 months. —Ist, Mark Wood' ward; 2nd, William Mears; highly com" mended, Mark Woodward. Ram, under 18 months. — Ist, Mark Woodward ; 2nd, Mark Woodward. Pen of Three Ewes, suckling lambs.—lst, Mark Woodward. Pon of Three Ewes, under 18 months.— Ist, Mark Woodward. SHROPSHIRE DOWNS. Ram, ovor 18 months.—lst, E. J. Parkor ; 2nd, E. J. Parker. Ram, under 18 months. —Ist, G. Ballard. Pon of Throo Eives, suckling lambs.—lab, G. Ballard. Pen of Threo Ewea, under 18 months.— Ist, G. Ballard. HAMPSHIRE DOWNS. Ram, over 18 months.—lsb and 2nd, Iloberb Hall. Ram, under 13 months.—lst, 2nd and c, Roberb Hall. Pen of threo ewes, suckling lambs.—lat and 2nd, Uoborb Hull. Pen of Three Ewes, under 18 months.— Ist, Robert Hull; 2nd, Roberb Hall. Merino Rams, (2 classes, 18 months, ovor and under). Firsb division : lab, James Humo; 2nd, Jamos Hume. Second division: Ist, James Hume ; 2nd Jumos Hume. Merino Ewea.—lab, Jaraeß Hurno.

The centre of attraction during the latter part of tho afternoon waa tho stago whoroon the sheep-ahearing competition took place. Tho three prizes drew five competitors, and it waa decided that each man should shear two sheep within tho hour. Each having selected his animals, aba given signal bhey commenced clipping away for dear life. Each competitor had his own circle of friends, and groab wus tho excitolnonb among the onlookers, and mingled wero the cries of encouragomont that arose as the time-limit drew noar. All finished within tho time, bub so closo was tho quality of the work that ib took bhe judges some timo to make bhe awards. Finally bho following decision was arrived at:—lst, L. Austin (who also gainod tho first prize lash year and special gold medal); 2nd, W. B. Routly; 3rd, Charloa Baker. Ab intervals during the day exhibitions of sheep-ahearing by machinery wore given by tho Wolseley Patent. Tho machine was driven by a Tangy's 4 h.p. engine on 6 h.p. porbablo boiler (bhe 'Colonial"), specially con strucbod for county use. This was bho exhibit/ of Moaars Chambors and Banbury, who also showed one of Clarkson and Stanafield's mineral separator, for grading und separating various minerals in quartz, and a Hubbock's rabbit oxtorminator, the latest invention for driving poiaonona fumes through rabbit burrows.