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Press, 29 October 1981, Page 22

President of the Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral Society Show is Mr R. E. (Bill) Lay, a farmer. from Lyndhurst. Mr Lay has had a long association with the Agricultural and Pastoral Society — 18 years as a member, although he has been showing cattle for about 25 years.

Mt Hutt serves as the backdrop to the Lay property situated just out of the Lyndhurst- township, 21km from Ashburton.

“Oaklands” encompasses 234 hectares of land, 25 hectares of which is in crop and the remainder is grazing land for sheep and cattle. Run by Bill and his wife, Alma, and their two sons, Ronald and Malcolm, there are 2000 sheep and 260 cattle on the farm.

Although entries are slightly down on last year, the Ashburton A. and P. Show still remains one of the largest in the South Island. Mr Lay attributes the downturn to a tough year for stock, despite a relatively mild winter. In addition, some farmers had moved out of the district resulting in lower numbers in the sheep and cattle sections, he said. “It is certainly not a matter of lack of interest. Ashburton County has just about all the top breeders for sheep.” Mr Lay said. Inflation is taking its toll on A. and P. shows. The

society relies on membership fees and sponsors to stand the cost of the annual show. “It is a pity more people didnt appreciate the value of

shows. It is really the only way for a farmer to gauge the standard of his stock and to maintain the standard,” he said.