CLUTHA PRIZE STOCK.

Clutha Leader, Volume V, Issue 235, 10 January 1879, Page 6

CLUTHA PRIZE STOCK.

$. Our readers will recollect that at the( late Clutha and Tokomairiro Shows a very large number of prizes were taken by Mr ( R. Clark, Hillend. Any one who is / aware of the efforts Mr 'J lark has for some ' years past put forth to improve the bread ] of draught stock in the district., and who also took notice of the magnificent animals he exhibited at the shows referred i to, will admit that he heartily deserved the honors he won. Mr Clark has of late | years been " keeping his eyes about him " to find out where the best specimens of draught stock were being reared, and he has saved neither trouble nor money to secure possession of them. That he has been successful, the result of the recent exhibitions fully prove, and we doubt not Mr Clark's stock will soon be as celebrated as that of some Australian breeders so much admired and sought after throughout this colony. At last Clutha Show 'Mr Clark secured 36 points — that is calculating a first prize three points, second prize two points, and third prize one point. ' As a contrast to this it may be mentioned that at the late Oamaru Show Mr Menlove and {Messrs Fleming and Hedley contended for the j cup awarded to the largest prize-taker. It I was secured by the former with only 34 j points, the latter only scoring 18 points, j These were the largest prize-takers in I . draught stock at the Oamaru Show. Mr Clark has in all thirty-eight horses, thirteen of which were exhibited, and took prizes at the Clutha Show. He wonld have had another, but was debarred from showing " Lass o' Gowrie," 4 years old, by " Wallace," out of " Pride of | Scotland," on the ground that he had not , owned her for a month previous. Of the prizes he secured eight were firsts, five seconds, and two thirds. At the Tokomairiro Show he had seven firsts and two seconds. - A few of the animals he exhibited are worthy of special notice : — " Maggie Waft." 5 years old, bred by Mr John Watt, Inch Clutha, has taken the following prizes : — 1877 — first as brood mare, and first as besfc mare bred j by exhibitor at Clutha Show. 1878— second at Dunedin Show in class of brood mares, where she competed against the best Oamaru and Taieri stock ; first in the same class both at the Tokomairiro and Olutha Shows. " Jean," 4 years old, bred by Mr John Smith, Inch Clutha, has taken the following prizes :— lß77— first afc Tokomairiro as a three-year-old, and first at Clutha in same class. 1878 — third at Dunedm, competing against Nimmo and Grant's celebrated mare 3. First at Clutha in class dry maros, and first as best Clydesdale mare in the yard . she thus securing the President's medal. " Miss Watt," 3 years old, bred by Mr John Watt, Inch Clntha. Prizes : First at Clutha as a yearling; first at Tokomairiro as a two-year-old ; and second at Clutha in same class. At the late Dunedin Show she was commended in the three-year-old class, it having been a toss-np between her and K_ Menlove's two hundred guinea mare. She was awarded first prize as a three-ysar-old at both the Tokomairiro and Clutha Shows. *• " Blow," 8 years old, a " Rob Roy " mare. In 1376, at the Clutlia, &he took the prize as the besfc mare in the yard . first as one of besfc pair, and first as one of best threes. '" Hero," entire horse, has taken a large number of first and second prizes. He is father of Mr Menlove's "Duke," exhibited at the late Oamaru Show, and said by the North Otago Times to be " the best model of his class we have ever seen in this colony." Mr Clark's pony has been exhibited for many years, and on every occasion, with only two exceptions, was awarded first honors, and unless fresh stock in this class be introduced, is likely to maintain this pre-eminence for years to come. We have thus only given a specimen of the kind of stock Mr Clark is now secur- \ ing, and all will wish him success in carrying out his important enterprise in ! draught stock.