DUNEDIN.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11751, 27 November 1903, Page 6

DUNEDIN.

(smcul to "the riuss-") DUNEDIN, November 26. Th© trial entries lor the Otugo Agricultural and Pastoral Association's twentyseventh annual exhibition, which • opened at Tahima Park to-day. *how at first .Right a slight falling off compared with previous years. The cVercasV, However, is more apparent than real, mid is accounts! for by the fact tliat a new rule prevented any individual animal from being entered in more than one class. A strong wind proved too much for the stability of ©onic of tiie canvas structures amongst the machinery and miscellaneous sections, but otherwise tbe weather was delightfully fine, and the attendance satisfactory for an opening day. . The chief attractions were the judging of sheep, cattle, and pigs, nnd a sheepdog trial, tl»« latter being held within the large enclosure facing tha grand stand, and attracting keen ink-rest, especially from flockmostors and shepherds. * SHEEP. Th© show of sheep was of great excellence, the bona fide entry reaching the respectable totid of 206, and there were very few empty pens. , There was a falling off in mtrinos. anti tiie competition in both tiie fine and strong combing classes was confined to two breeders—Messrs Watson Shennan. ol Puketol Station, ond William Telford, of th© Clifton Estate, two Southland flock-, masters., whoee names are well known and associated with the!*>< breeds of merinos in the colony. Mr Watson Shennan practically took"all before him, including the two championships in the flue combing sec tions, tliough Mr Telford. wins took a couple of firsts and a second prize, ran him close in several instances. He, however, had to be content with but one championship in *trong combings, the Clifton Estate beating him in rams. Border Leicester© were few m number, but some of the animals were of rare merit. Here the Pukatoi Station sheep came in competition with tho<e of Little Brothers, of Ngapara, and hal to be satisfied with minor honours in each acetic*. Little Bros, again scored heavily in the several section© for English Leicester;", their erdtwhilo nighbour, now of Riversdale; Southland, taking second and third prizes with some particularly good sheep. Tli© New Zealand and Australian Land Company were the only exhibitors of Lincoln*. What they sent in were from the Moeraki Estate, and were awarded full Honours in each section. The Romm-vs were the grandest chow of this hardy" Marsh breed of sheep ever seen on the show ground. Each section waa unusually strongly represented, and the competition was exceedingly keen. Ine exhibitors wero James Fulton's trustees, Bealey Bros., of the Haldon Station, Hororata, Wm. Telford, J. and A. Miller, Watwn Shennan, W. end N- Rovd. and the representatives of the Castlerock estat*. James Fulton's trustees appropriated the dual champion honoum, hut Bealey Bros. took three first prize* in very strong classes against each of the other abovenamed breeder©. Mr Wotson Shennan and Mr Wm. Telford about equally divided the ©econd Mid third places. ■ Bealey Bros, were very successful witn a few good Southdowns. The Shropshire© were alio good, and here again a Canterbury breeder waa well to the fore, Mr F. Bull, of Waddlngton, taking th© championship 'W'th his, imported ram Tommy Atkins. Tbe champion honour for ewes was gained by Mr B. Beth-Smith, ot j Ngapara Cheviot* were awit in from the Castkrock station. Mr James Stringfellow, of Oherteey, another Canterbury breeder, took two champioflahipn, aa well as o. number ot first and second prkes, for his well-known Corriedttle*. , , . . There wa© a fairly : good lot of fat sheep. CATTLE. There wa* an excellent ©how pf Shortham cattle, and one* more Canterbury was sncoewrfol. Mr Arthur Chamberlains (Brookside) bull. Duke of Rothesay, waa the champion, this making the eleventh tho©' h© has gained such a high distinction at th© Canterbury Metropolitan, Dunedin, and other ©hows. Tb© ©am© breeders. Tulip V. wa© again the champion cow. The other prise-takers were Messrs v. Murray, Wm. Nixon (of Killinchy), Anderson, Mitchell Bros., J. ond J. Miller, J. Gow, and Ford Bro«, Mr Murray Roberto sent forward some splendid specimens of th© profitable Aberdeen Angus breed, and took both championships. Some good besots were also sent in from the Cftttlerock station. A few good Hereford© were shown by James Holmes. The competition in Ayrshire© was , Tery keen, nnd each section wa© well represented. Mr T. LcV* Lord Kitchener web the, champion bull, and Mr W. Cowan, of Oamaru, again won th© ohamoionship with hi* co*, Ada, 11. A few well-bred Alderoeja were shown. \'.",.. PIGS. The show of pigs was the best seen in Dunedin for several years past- The bulk of the fiwft prizes went to the Seacliff Asylum, th© other prise-takers bejng Mr Ai Avery, of Oamaru, and Mr G. Rhodes, of Meadowbank.