HIGH QUALITY FLOCKS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27374, 12 June 1954, Page 5

HIGH QUALITY FLOCKS

HAW ARDEN-W AIK ARI EWE COMPETITION

The very high standard of the Ha-warden-Waikari annual flock competition was fully maintained by the ewes put before the judges on Tuesday for this year’s event. The young sheep were strikingly good in view of the dry autumn the district has had, and as a whole, the competition ewes were of an evenness and quality not surpassed anywhere. It has been a difficult season in the district. While there was not a fullsized drought, the summer and autumn were times of shortage of feed even on the paddock properties, and this last month of warm and frost-free weather has been a godsend in getting breeding flocks well into the winter without too great a demand on hay and other feeds. As it happened, therq was rain on Monday and heavy mist throughout Monday night and until about noon on Tuesday, but it says much for the quality of the sheep that the wet took very little away from their appearance.

This year’s competition drew 28 entries from 15 flocks, many of them, as can be seen by a glance at the awards, among the leading flocks of the district. Naturally most of them were Corriedales, but there was some halfbred blood. The judges were Messrs J Paton and G. A. McLean, who had with them as junior judges Messrs I. R. Paton, J. McLean, and A. McLean.

The competition is divided into two sections, one for hill flocks and one for paddock sheep, in which there were four classes. All classes are judged on commercial type, evenness, and evidence of the standard of management they have had. For each of the first maximum of 35 points is allotted, and for the third, 30 points. Judging is thus strictly on the merits of the sheep as a commercial proposition, and on the ability of their owners to make the best of them. Yet the standard throughout was so even that the placings in nearly every case in the end had to be decided on fine show points rather on commercial points. It would be difficult anywhere to find a collection of sheep capable of producing higher returns from meat and wool together. Type was good throughout, and evenness within flocks in many, cases outstanding. In all cases the sheep will go into the winter in first-class order in spite of the autumn shortage of grass. There were no major faults with ally of the flocks entered. There was some evidence of tippyness and lack of character in the wool of a few of the paddock lots, some of which were stronger than might have been expected, but this wgg presumably accepted by the breeders m return for extra size in the frame and extra fleece weight. Some of the wools showed a rather pencilly lock, but as a whole the wool was of first class.

It was disappointing that a bigger crowd did not turn out to watch the judging. Through the day about 30 farmers, most of them younger men, followed proceedings, but none of the several schools invited to send members of their Young Farmers’ Clubs was represented. It was through pasture competitions that information on the capabilities and management problems of the new strains of grasses was so rapidly and successfully spread Only a minority of farmers at present thoroughly understands the adjustments in sheep management needed to graze the new pastures successfully and their knowledge must be made widely available if much of the production from modern pastures is not to be wasted. The flock competitions give just the same opportunity for acknowledge as the pasture competitions did.

Apart, from the high standard of the sheep it produced, the day was notable for the excellent staff work that made it possible to complete a full day ahead of schedule, but without hurrying. Results were:—

Hill replacement ewe hoggets (3 entries): J. C. Denham (commercial type 33 points, evenness 32, husbandry 27). 92 points, 1; Mount Mason Estate

Woolly paddock hoggets (10): A Black (35, 34, 30). 99 points, 1; F. K Forrester, 97 points, 2: A. D. F Neill 95 points, 3. Shorn paddock hoggets (2)- J w Matthews (34, 33, 29), 96 points, 1; H. M. Carr, 90 points, 2. Paddock two-tooths (7): F K. Forrester (34, 34. 28). 96 points, 1; A. Black, 94 points, 2: R. B. Kellock, 91 points, 3. ■

Paddock ewes, two-shear or over (6) • F. K. Forrester (34, 34, 29), 97 points 1; A. Black, 94 points, 2: J. G F Blakely. 93 points, 3. The A. J. Blakely Cup for most points in the paddock classes was won by F. K. Forrester with 290 points. A. Black with 287 points was runnerup.