SHEEP.

Press, Volume XX, Issue 2305, 20 December 1872, Page 3

SHEEP.

The show of sheep was much the same as last year in point of numbers, but there were some exceedingly good exhibits, notably those of Messrs Marcroft and Ayers. who were most deservedly the largest prize takers. Their exhibits were not in their usual condition, but the journey up, over dusty roads, fully accounts for this, and their condition was one of the most convincing proofs that at any rate, so far as lon -wooled sheep are t concerned, December is far too late iv the year for. a successful show. In class I, Messrs Marcroft and Ayers were the only exhibitors, taking Ist and 2nd honors with father and son. The former is a Christchurch prizetaker, and the latter took Ist prize as a twotooth at last Ellesmere show. Iv class 2, Messrs Marcroft and Ayers again took Ist and 2nd priz-s. The. Ist prize winner, No 4 in the catalogue, is a magnificent ram indeed, as fine a Leicester as we have ever seen here. In class 3, Messrs Marcroft and Ayers were again successful. The only other pen exhibited, by Mr W. Maddison, did not, although deservedly commended as good useful animals, show to advantage alongside of them. In the Cotswolds, Messrs Marcroft and Ayers were the only exhibitors. In Lincolns ia class 7, Messrs Marcroft and Ayers were the only exhibitors, but the judges only awarded them a second prize, as the sheep were not in good condition. In classes 8 and 9, the same gentlemen took all the honors. In class 11 for liomney Marsh ram under eighteen months, they got first prize. By the way this class in the catalogue comes under the heading of Lincoln breed, which is a curious mistake, to say the least of it. as unless a catalogue is thoroughly reliable it had better be dispensed with altogether. Messrs Marcroft' and Ayers were the only exhibitors in class 12, and took first prize. The Southdowns were not tiptop, though useful animals. The Rev. W. J. G. Bluett and Mr R. Washbourne

were the only exhibitors in this sort" of stock ; the former took first aud second prizes in class 13, and the latter first prize in class 15. In the cross-bred pens we were particularly pleased with the exhibits of Messrs Barker and Willis, Mr Barker, however, took the lion's share of the prizes. In class 19, for six lambs, Mr C. Hurst took Ist. prize ; Mr S. Early, 2nd; Mr Barker having to content himself with an honorable commend. The pens in thia class were good. The show of merinos was not very large, but there was plenty of quality. In class 20 Mr N. M'Lean's exhibits were very good, one of them is, so to speak, the champion merino ram of the province, having taken Ist honors at Christchurch and Timaru. Mr Hurst's exhibit, we consider, scarcely deserved highly commended, with "which it was presented. In class 21 Mr Hurst's exhibit, an exceptionally good ram, took Ist honors, Mr .JS.-M'Lean's. taking 2nd; both these sheep were really good, but we consider the prize went to the right animal. In class 22 Mi* Hurst secured well-deserved Ist and 2nd prizes, and one of Messrs Fitzroy and Acland's exhibits was highly commended. Thefat'sheep were very good generally. In the class for ten fat merino wethers first prize went to a nice pen of Mr Hurst's, and Mr Loe's pen were out of place among meriuos. Iv class 24, Mr Loe took first and second honors with two capital aud fairly even" pens. Mr Washbourne took first prize in the class for ten fat lambs, and Mr Hurst second, and Bey W. J. G. Bluett carried off Mr Rowe's prize for the best ten Leicester ewes. In the competition for Messrs Miles and Co.'s prize, there were three entries, Mr C. F. Barker being the prize-taker. For Mr Mitchell's prize for hoggets, the offspring of merino ewes by long-woolled rams there was,, ptrange to say, but one competitor. This is a . most useful and payable animal,' and we wonder that, such being the case, there were'not more exhibits in this class. Messrs Marcroft and Ayers' prizes were won by Messrs Washbourne and Barker respectively, j In extra stock, Messrs; Marcroft and Ayers j were the only exhibitors, and though prizes are not usually awarded in this class by the association, the judges strongly recommended one being given, which advice we believe was acted tipon.' -The exhibits were two Leicester ewe bpggetSj and were certainly first-class. LEICESTER BREED {IMPORTED OR OTHERWISE). Class l-7-*Ran_ above .eighteen months old ; two entries. Ist prized Marcroft and Ayers, Old Scotland, imported;" 2nd, Marcroft* v and Ayers, Young Scotland, colonial bred. ■ Class feKamunder eighteeninopths old; four entries- Ist prize, Marcroft* aiid Ayers, by imported ram Scotland ; 2nd, Marcroft and Ayers, by Duke of Hamilton ; Marcroft * and Ayers, by imported ram highly commended. .- > Class 3—Three Ewes, any age; five entrie*.- Ist prize, Marcroft and Ayers,. by imported ram Scotland; . "2nd, Marcroft and Ayers, by imported rant Scotland ; W. Maddisoo, commended >'•• W.* M_dd_?qn, com--mendedv ■'-~•--■'■ • COTSWOIiD BRED (IMPORTED OR OTHER-- - - WISE"). . . ; ■ ■-.. ':■'* Class _— Ram, above eighteen months; two entries. Ist'prize, Marcroft aud Ayers, by Old Duke ; 2ifl_, Marcroft and Ayers, by Old Duke. Class s—Rnm, under eighteen months old ; one entry. Ist prize, Marcroft and Ayers. LINCOLN BRED (IMPORTED OR.OTHERWISE). Class 7—Ram, above eighteen months old ; two entries. Ist prize, Marcroft and Ayers, four-tooth sheep. ■■.-■. Class under-eighteen months old ; two entries. Ist prize, Marcroft and Ayers, by imported ram JKLiTkham ■* 2nd 7 Marcroft : and Ayers, by imported ram Kirkham; Class 9—-Three Ewes, any age; two en- . tries. lst_ prize. Marcroft and' Ayers, imported ; 2nd, Marcroft apd Ayers. 80-INEY MARSH/". Class 11—Ram under eighteen months old; one entry. Ist prize, Marcroft and Ayers, by imported, ram. Class 12—Three Ewes, any age ? one exhibit. Ist prize, Marcroft and Ayers, hoggets, by imported ram. SOUTHDOWN BREED (IMPORTED OR OTHERWISE.)

Class 13—Ram above eighteen months old; two entries. Ist prize, Rev W. J. G. Bluett; 2nd, W. J. G, Bluett.

Class 15—Three Ewes, any age; one exhibit. Ist* price, It. Wash bourne, junr.

CROSS-BRED (CONFINED TO THE DISTRICT). Class 16—Three Kwes, above two-tooth ; two entries. Ist prize. C. F. Barker, crossbred. Lincoln : 2nd prize, 11. B. Willis, shorn 27th Nov., 1871.

Class 18- Three Hosrgetts ; fiveentries. Ist prize, O. F. Barker, cross-bred Lincoln withers ; 2nd, C. F. Barker, cross-bred Lincoln wethers.

Class 19—Six Lambs ; five entries. Ist prize, C. Hurst, lambed in July ; 2nd. S. Early; C. F. Barker, cross-bred Lincoln, lambed in September, highly commended.

MERINO BREED (.IMPORTED OR OTHERWISE)

Class 20—Ham above eighteen months old ; three entries. Ist prize, N Maclean, shoru December 12, 1871 : *2;id. N. Maclean, shorn December 12. 1871: (J. Hur.-t. shorn November 20, 1871, highly commended. Class 21—Ram under eighteen months old; two entries. Ist prize, C. Hurst, fifteen and a half months old ; 2nd, N. Maclean, never shorn.

Class 22—Three Ewes, any age ; six exhibits. Ist prize, C. Hurst, shorn November 20, 1871 ; 2nd, C. Hurst, hoggets, fourteen and a half months old ; Fitzroy and Acland, highly commended ; Fitzroy and Acland, commended.

FAT SHEEP. AND MUST BE SHORN. Class 23—Ten Fat Merino Wethers ; three entries. Ist prize, C. Hurst.

Class 2-I—Ten fat Ewes or Wethers, of any breed ; six entries. Ist prize, J. J. Loe, cross-bred wethers ; 2nd, J.J. Loe, cross-bred wethers, under sixteen months old.

Class 95—Ten Fat Lambs, of any breed. Two entries. Ist prize, R. Washbourne, jun; 2nd, D. Hurst.

Mr Thomas Rowe's Prize of £2 2s for the best pen of Ten Leicester Ewes, under eighteen months old (this season's lambs included—lst prize, Key W. J. G. Bluett, ten Leicester hoggets.

Messrs Miles arid Co's Prize of £5 for tbe best Pen of Cioss-bred Sheep (confined to the district). Three entries. Ist prize, CF. Barker, wether hoggats. Messrs E. Mitchell and Co.'s prize of £2 2s for the best pen of half-bred Hoggets, the offspring of merino ewes by any long-woolled rams, the breed of rams to be stated. Ist prize, W. D. Lawrence, by liomney Marsh rams. Messrs Marcroft and Ayers's prizes of £2 2s for the best, and £1 Is for the second best pen of six cross-bred Ewe Lambs, the offspring of their rams ; three entries. Ist prize, K. Wash bourne, jun ; 2nd, C. F. Barker, cross-bred Lincoln.