RAKAIA EWE FAIR

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24820, 9 March 1946, Page 3

RAKAIA EWE FAIR

TWO-TOOTHS REACH 45/-

The top price of 45s for'two-toothfc tor Canterbury ewe fairs this season was | reached at Rakaia yesterday. Any ewes showing quality were in demand at prices generally a little easier than those ruling at other fairs, but the feed position, which is not yet at all secure, had some influence on sales. However, values were better by some shillings than they would have been under the extremely dry conditions of a week or so ago. Of an entry of about 7500 sheep, which was a larger yarding than last year, about 1500 were two-tooths, a’ fair percentage of which were bred locally, but some of the entries came from as far north as Marlborough. There is always quite a variation m the quality of ewes entered at Rakaia, and yesterday’s yarding was no exception as it comprised a fair percentage of farmers* culls. Most of the sheep were of the fine wool type.’The top price of 45s was for 142 twotooth Corriedales sold on behalf of J. Cocks (Eiffelton) and bought by* J. J. Johnston (Rakaia). The ewes were bigframed and were liberally covered with wool. Some small two-tooths sold at 21s. but several pens of good quality realised 37s 6d and 40s. Of the four-year-olds, the most representative line was from the flock of E. F. J. Grigg, Meadowbank, Blenheim, which is popular with Rakaia buyers each year. The tops of the main draft brought 235, compared with 26s last year, while two pens sold at 26s and 275, which was the best price in this class. The best price for five-year ewes was 22s for a pen sold on account of T. Fitzsimmons (Omihi). There was a good representation of buyers at the fair. The entry of 128 rams, all of which were in good condition, comprised mostly one-shear sheep from the stud of local breeders, and quite a few failed to reach the reserve placed on them. The demand was not strong. The best price was Signs obtained by Mr G. S. Campbell (Rokecross° r f ° Ur one “ shear Suffolk-Southdown Many pens of ewes were sold on account of clients. Representatives sales were as io Hows:— J. Muckle (Dorie), 75 two-tooth at 40s. 31s’ H ‘ Baxter (Dorie >- 70 two-tooth at Penne y (Rakaia), 56 two-tooth a \ir 2s » ’ 504 four -year at 20s to 20s Bd. at 34s L ’ Harrison ( Dorie )« 50 two-tooth A. T. Wilson (Te Pirita), 74 two and four-tooth at 24s 3d, 72 four-year at 20s. C. G. Robinson (Te Pirita), 118 ewe lambs at 235. J. Cocks (Eiffelton), 142 two-tooth at 455. N. W. Adams (Dunsandel), £0 two-tooth at 37s 6d. E. F. J. Grigg. (Blenheim), 1567 ’four, six, and eight-tooth at 15s 3d to 23s 91 sound-mouth at 245, 150 four-year at 26s to 275. C. Inch (Te Pirita), 180 four-year at 25s 6d, 57 five-year at JL7s 6d. Mrs D. F. Grigg (Bankside), 164 four, six, and eight-tooth at 13s to 15s 9d. D. E. Grigg (Bankside), 65 four-year at 24s 6d. 135 ’four and five-year at 17s 3d to 235, 122 four, six, and eight-tooth at 12s. T. Fitzsimmons (Omihi), 71 five-year at 225. Mrs H. B. Westenra (Te Pirita), 115 four-year at 21s. Rams D. J. Stewart (Rakaia), 8 one-shear Southdown at 3gns to 4lgns; 5 one-shear | Border Leicester at 3gns to 4gns; 2 twoshear at 3gns. T. M. Wells (Rakaia), 7 one-shear Southdown-Border Leicester cross at 7gns; 3 one-shear Southdown at to 4Jgns. Mrs A. M. Duncan (Rakaia), 4 three- • shear Southdown-Border Leicester cross at 2gns. J. K. Lochhead (Rakaia), 10 one-shear Southdown at 4gns to sgns. R. Barnett (Dunsandel), 4 one-shear I Southdown at sgns to 7gns. G. J. Bird (Pendarves), 4 one-shear, Southdown-Border Leicester cross at 6}gns to 7gns; 5 one-shear Border Leicester at 4jgns to sJgns. R. Reid (Darfield), 12 one-shear Rye-land-Engfish Leicester cross at s&gns to Signs. G. S. Campbell (Rokeby), 3 one-shear Southdown at, BJgns; 7 Suffolk-Southdown cross at 9Jgns. A. P. Bruce (Pendarves), 5 one-shear Southdown at 7gns.