OTAGO.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8963, 29 November 1894, Page 5

OTAGO.

. (By Telkoraph.) [from our special correspondent.]

DUNEDIN, November 28

Cold blustering weather and the counter attraction of the races interfered with the attendance at Tabuua Park to-day, when the eighteeuth annual show under the auspices of tho Ofcago Agricultural and Pastoral Association was opened. The catalogue showed a total eutry of 1097 exhibits. This was considerably in excess of the entries for last year, while the quality of many of the sheep and cattle was of a very superior character. The Sjciety has effected several important improvements on the show ground since last year, one of the most noticeable beiug permanent enclosures for judging the cat Lie and horses. Special efforts have also been made to render the present show a success, aud to this end the President, Mr P. Patullo, the General Committee, and the Secretary, Mr F. Duihie, have worked with much commendable zeal and fruitful energy. The work to-day consisted of the judging of sheep, cattle, pigs, and dairy produce". SHEEP.

There were fewer entries of sheep than for several previous years, but certainly no falling off in quality, especially in respect to Border Leicester and Lincolns. The merino classes did not attract a single exhibit, but what was lacking in this section was made up for in a very excellent show of Border Lcicesters, the competition being very keen between the Uon. M. Holmes and the Ngapara breeders, Messrs Little Brothers. Mr Holmes took three firsts and several seconds, in addition to the championship for a magnificent fourtooth ram, which made his initial appearance in a show yard this season, aud was so highly thought of chat the judges had no option but to put him in front of that spleudid sheep which was the champion at the Metropolitan Show in Christchurch, aud took a similar honour the following week at . Oamaru, and that too in competition with what was generally acknowledged to be one of the very finest shows of Border Leicesters ever seen south of the Line. The champion ram to day is by the celebrated Jack, aud hisgrandam was one of the best ewes ever imported into this country. He is a beautifully level and deep y set sheep, with a good head and eyes, and his symmetrical frame is heavily clad all over with wool of excellent quality. Messrs Little Brothers' sheep were also brought out in the very pink of condition, these breeders taking four first awards and two seconds, together with the championship for a very excellent ewe. Several of Mr W. Gray's sheep were highly commended, aud the New Zealand aud Australian Land Company took a first with a nice pen of ten well grown flock rams. Mr Holmes and the Laud Company came into competition with Lincolns, both exhibitors showing some very superior sheep. Mr Holmes took both championships, besides making nearly a cleau sweep oi the first prizes, the Land Company coming secoud with really good sheep. The Company took first with a very nice twotooth ewe and the same breeders also took the sec nd in the same class. One of Mr Holmes' exhibits, a particularly good ewe -hogj&etj *iad tarbe p»aiwd>OTOi£awiujf<tcFher' having, to all appearances, dislocated her shoulder. Mr A. C. Lang showed only one ram, for which he took a second prize in a strong cla«s. Romneys were shown by the Hon. M. Holmes, the Hon. James Fulton, and Messrs A. C. Laing and C. Millar, and the honours were about equally divided, except that Mr Holmes, in addition toother awards, gained the championship for the best ewe and Mr Fulton for the beet ram in the yard. Messrs John »Reid and Son's j imported Shropshire ram Outpost was first and champion, and like honours wero awarded a nice ewe hogget shown by Mr John Barton. The other honours iv this class of Downs were equally divided between the two breeders. The Hon. M. Holmes was the only exhibitor of Cheviots, for which he was awarded first and second in each class. There was a really good show of fat sheep, the prizewinners being Messrs W. Patrick, Wm. Williamson, John Reid and Son, John Deane, John Borton, and G. .Watson. The special priz3 of five gxiiheas, given by Messrs Nelson Bros, for the best pen of five freezing wethers, was vron by Mr John Deans. . r ■ . CATTLE. The show of cattle, taken -as a whole, was probably th 9 best ever BeenatTahuna Park, and the comments passed on-many of the animals exhibited were highly complimentary. Shorthorn 3 were shown by the New Zealand and Australian Land Company, Mr J. T. lisdall and Mr A. Bevan. The Land Company's imported roan bull, by the Duke of Oueida, wae champion, the Company also taking the championship with the dark roan cow Pears, by the Lord Penhryn. The I competition in the Polled Angus classes was very keen, many very fine well .bred animals coming forward from the herds of the Land Corapauy, Messrs Murray, Huberts and Co., and Messrs A. Douglas and the Hon. M. Holmes. The Land Company took three firsts, Mr Holmes two firsts, and Messrs A. Douglas and Murray Roberts one first each. Considerable difficulty was experienced in awarding the champion honours, and; the judges called in Mr Bristol, of Timaru, to help them out of tbe trouble ; finally the championship for the bull-was awarded to Murray Robert's imported Lancer of Adir, the Land Company's heifer Lullaby, by Blair Athol taking the other blue ribbon. No better show of Ayrshires ever has been seen in New Zealand, and probably not South of tbe line, than was exhibited at Dunedin to-day, one ring of nine bulls, alone being worth going a, loug way to see. The first class took a lot of judgiug, the verdict finally going in favour of Mr Thomas Lee's Young Glenham, an uncommonly good quality three-year-old by Glenham, a worthy sou of the imported bull Baron Oxhill. Young Glenham was also awarded the champion ticket. The champion cow was Messes Ireland Bros. , Verbena 111. Other prizetakeis in the Ayrshire classes were Messrs Young, Glenham and K. B. Fergossou. Other breeders wbo took prizes in the Ayrshire classes were Messrs X.. B. Ferguson, C. Weir, Peter Walker, Tom Lewis, A. Wing, Thos. Lee and J. Hume. Most of the Ayrshires shown were particularly good, and the three judges were, unanimous in expressing the opinion that it was one of the best shows of this class of dairy cattle they had seen in the colonies. The fat cattle were far and away the best ever seen at Donedin, both from a pnmeric*l point of view and in regard to quality. The Land Company had a lot of particularly good beasts, with which they took numerous prizes. Other prizetakers were Messrs S. Gai forth, E. Menlove and Wm. Grant, the last also taking the champion honour with a three-year-old polled Angus heifer. PIGS. Mr James Rowe, of Christchurch, was again highly successful with his well-bred pigs, taking first in each class in which he competed. Mr J. Deans was first with a good Yorkshire boar, and Messrs C. Ladbrook aud R. Winkfield each took prizes.