Contest On Two Farms

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31365, 10 May 1967, Page 24

Contest On Two Farms

The land in the Prebbleton-Broadfield district that will be used for the World Ploughing Contest is on the properties of Messrs R. W. Wilson and J. F. Smith, whose families have been farming for more than 100 years.

Mr Wilson’s grandfather came to Canterbury on one of the First Four Ships, the Charlotte Jane, in 1850, and the family has been associated with farming ever since. Mr Smith’s grandfather took up land in the area where he is now farming more than 100 yean ago and his grandfather’s original wooden home is still standing—it is now used to hold hay. The stubble ploughing In the world contest and the New Zealand championship ploughing will be held on Mr Smith’s property, of which about 50 acres are being used.

Mr Smith** farm comprises about 365 acres and ranges from lightish to good medium land. The ploughing area is In the latter category. His farm is actually in five blocks, but no more than three miles separates the various parts. Mr Smith was, of course, born in the district and before he actually bought any land he leased land to grow potatoes while he still worked on his father’s farm and on properties around the district. He acquired his first block of 87 acres 22 years ago and part of his property today includes 100 acres leased from his father. It is a mixed farm with both stock and crops. This winter the flock includes some 700 ewes, which are either Corriedale or Romney cross, and they are all mated with Southdown rams for prime lamb production. Mr Smith’s lambs have just gained a signal honour. When lambs from the North Canterbury district were recently judged in England in the annual export lamb competition, a group of three of his lambs was placed second. It is not the first time that lambs from this district

have gained high honours in this competition and Smith lambs have been placed in the local judging about three times since they were first entered in 1964 when they were third. The cropping programme last season included 70 acres of wheat, 12} acres of oats, 30 acres of potatoes, and 10 acres of Arikl ryegrass, 40 acres of white clover, and 20 acres of white clover and perennial ryegrass saved for seed. The area under crop included 28 acres of Aotea wheat which was on the stubble ploughing site. The average for the whole wheat crop was a little more than 70 bushels to the acre. The area which will be used for the New Zealand final was sown two years ago In Government stock perennial. ryegrass and white clover after a wheat crop. In the 1966 harvest it was threshed for perennial ryegrass seed and then yielded more than 40 bushels of dressed seed to the acre. In the most recent harvest it was harvested again for perennial ryegrass and white

clover. Mr Smith is a former chairman of the Broadfield School Committee and has done some match ploughing, having competed in the Lincoln match. Mr Wilson’s property was Initially 310 acres but is now 210 acres in size. He farmed it for 25 years after coming from Belfast where he farmed part of the family property as a town milk supply dairy farmer. The Prebbleton property has been leased for the last four years to Mr G. J. Barclay. Like Mr Smith’s it is medium to light country and some 60 acres will be used for the contest, including 26 acres for the world grassland contest. This particular area was sown in Government stock white clover and Italian ryegrass three years ago and subsequently a

white clover seed crop was taken off it. At present there are 550 Corriedales ewes on the property and these are mated with Dorset Down and South Dorset Down rams for fat lamb production. Some 20 Friesian calves are also being carried. The cropping programme last season included 40 acres in wheat, 17 acres in oats, 22 acres of barley, 32 acres of Ariki and short rotation or Manawa ryegrass saved for seed and 22 acres of white clover for seed. Fifteen acres of lucerne, which was grazed early and cut once for hay, has also been harvested for seed recently. The wheat yielded on average 75 bushels to the acre, the Ariki ryegrass 40 bushels of machine dressed seed, the barley 96 bushels and Amuri oats 101 bushels. Three years ago an exceptional six acres of white clover produced 4j sacks of machine dressed seed to the acre. I_ Mr Wilson still keeps his hand in at farming. He has 120 acres in Lansdowne valley and there he runs 600 Romney ewes which are put to the Romney rams. For 18 years Mr Wilson has served on the Broadfield school committee including terms as chairman and secretary. In earlier days he was treasurer of the Waimairi branch of the old Farmers’ Union organisation and among sporting interests he is vice-president of the Halswell Bowling Club. Mr Barclay is also active in a number of organisations and has been particularly prominent in the Young Farmers’ Club movement Aged 27 years he has been a member of the Dominion, executive of Young Farmers’ Clubs for the last three years and in 1965-66 he was chairman of the Canterbury council of the movement. About three years ago he was a member of the Ladbrooks club team which won the Canterbury council de-

bating contest and was a member of a Christchurch district team that won the national teams’ stock judging contest

Mr Barclay is a member of the committee of the Tai Tapu Collie Club which is running the dog trial which will be held at the World Ploughing Contest and he plays for the Lincoln football club in the senior grade. He has represented the Ellesmere sub-union for the last five years in the forwards.