BUSH DISTRICTS SHOW.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 132, 27 February 1908, Page 4

BUSH DISTRICTS SHOW.

INTERESTING DISPLAY AT WOOD. VILLE. ' . „

/ PRIZE WINNERS. (BY TEI/EGHAI'n—SPECIAL COIUIESPONDEXT.) . —' . Woodvilie, February 26. The., sixteenth annual sliow at Woodvilie passed-; off without ■ a";.-hitch' in the arrangements.' It was attended l>y a larger crowd than .tho previous year/visitors being present ill largo numbers from W T airarapa, Hawke's Bay, Palmorstpn, and Feilding, besides.the usual enthusiastic 'crowd of t local residents. Tho entries sljow a-falling off, but to counteract this deficiency tho..quality generally shows an appreciable improve-ment.-It is apparent that tho show exists under.'strenuous conditions, but if tho type of stewards and committee'as ■'seen''in active" working order on; the. ground to-day are any criterimi, tliero should bo no fear for tho future prospects of tho sho y that has. ex-' isted so long.: From an instructive point of view it takes a prominent stand. The almost universal opinion of tho judges is that • the district can pj-oduco good ; matcnal for a show. Tho returns were not complete, but there is every reason' to believe tho gathering was a financial success. The.gate takings amounted to £55.

Thorring events.were a source of amusement throughout the-'day;:. tho .best '•being; rotaincd for ■the afternoon. The. leaping . competition occupied considerable •' time in. deciding, ,and eventually it'was announced that Miss Paul, of■ Feildihgi had : succeeded jn\- pilotihg Mr.' S. -S. • Sanson's Moana over, tho--.hurdles,', for which! sho'.re- . ceived a handsomo gold brooch,: presented to the Associition "hv - Mr.; - Oxley;'- of. Pahiatua., The great event; of. .the (lav iva3 the hunters' leaping competition' for the Bachelor- Cup. Last year ..this-'was secured bySir. D. Noake on Mignon, but on this oc- ■ casion it fell to., the .lot of Jilr.'- G. 'BrGnisford's The Vagrant. , tThe win -iVasf a,popular one, and-there was mutual rejoicing, when •the cherished-trophywasdianded over on the hnni, especially ias the. recipient is the Pre- , sident of,. tho '. Association; The -:':maidcn< horse-leaping was also an interesting eyentj Mr. M. Hutchin's Scotch, Mist -proving, superior The competition - was not to local enthusiasts, as several outsido owners came forward to swell ther numbers.: 'The •majority of tho horses took the fences well, but a few- were deficient ill tho art' of hurdling. - - :.v/'' '■ ' .• . It might safely ' bc) ' remarked that- horses and horser events;' were iirobably ' frbm a general public. point:of, .principal ; ;tho,Sh()Wj r;:-,The hacks*, wcro tho; -premier - entry,: and,, >be?ides drav,-ing out a ; strong-, local! - induced.-'' a,-, numlier. of outsido exhibitors to como fonvard. Speak-, ing generally, they were a good all-round : exhibit, especially tho; heavy-weight carriera'.Ponies. were also numerically; Strong, but'-uu-: even. ; When a. fow -'ofpthe prizewinners wero singled, out of the .harness,' horses, the remainder could only be classified as poor. Some-, fair-; animals wero 'showjir in the spring,trap scction. . Tho horses and vehicles, wero, paraded, on the course fronting • tho'-standy-rwhe'ro the public wcro afforded aii opportunity of peeing tho class of horseflesh..which tho district: can produce; Tho thoroughbreds headed, the'procession, but, unfortunately, thoy were ; fow iri ! numbern. . Olio solitary draught was included, in tho .list. At . ono. time Woodvillo could, boast, of ,■ a • fair display"' in' tho' lieavv : horso section, but now, like the Shorthorrij Ythey) appear to. bo out of date.. ■■

, A stroll 'aroiind tholcaftlo* 'pens Jwas sufficient to convince tho; writer that tho Jersey is the. favourite breed of : the..-districts Tho ••Ayrshire/'section was'. well''-representea, 'b'ut tho entries principally belonged to' Mr. C. Woodley, of Awanuni.V, To, summariso . tho .-.cattle- generally, tliey wero' an improvement /.upon' those/exhibited at"last year's show," although tho. ; entries ,showed a falling-01f... .It will be remembere'd that tho'judge'of dairy cattle;at i tha lii3t .slipw spoW'' in;, wholesale condemnation of tlio ;. exhibits, - so evidently his. remarks havoborno .ivith .fowl • exceptions,'the. entries' this'year ;wero a good-' representation of what tho district can pro- ■ vide, 'lho yearling Jersey class.', deserves, special mention,' and it was the linanimous opinion of' : breeders 1 who hadattended i tl'ie.various shows, thift the team presented .to tho judgo to make a selcction-from- was the finest fever put in the field this season at any show, tho entries numbering ten'in all. ' The judgo was exceptionally well pleased with the' competition,,. andI,',1,', a/teiv goiug 'carefully over the exhibits, filially awarded tho ! prize i- to'Mr:' Lancaster, of Palmcrston.: .Tho samp breeder, .who sent, a ; strong r'teiim :of : Jerseys "along, -cajitured the firsthand champion prize foi i his Jersey heifer,.: which has been unbeaten this : season-as a twa-year- ; old except, at Masterton" show, where Mr. Lancastertook : the'prize frith another of his herd. - Speaking 'of -tho Jersey hulls, the judge, was well satisfied,. and/lie awarded the championship to' Mr. Paul Hunter. He informed a Dominion representative that ho would havo favoured ono of.the. yearlings hid ho been eligible, to.'egmpeto for.tho championship- Shorthorns: h'ad;no, place in'tho show, only two .djulls' being exhibited.;'. '.Tho; young cattlo gonorhlly presentable. •