HORSE-BREEDING.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1577, 22 October 1912, Page 8

HORSE-BREEDING.

POSITION AKD-PEOSPBCTSKE-VIISWKD. The position and prospects of the horsebreeding industry, with particular reference to the Clydesdale breed was referred to by Air. J. A. Johnstone, in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the , Clydesdale Horse Society. Never be- ; fore in its history, said Air. Jolmstonc, had the Clydesdale horse been brought into such prominence as during the past year. Jlr. Jobnstuno procedeil to quote tho prices paid for sucli famous Clydesdales as Baron o' Buchlyvie (dC9o00), * Nerissa (.£1200), and others, which went to show what a profitable sonrco- of incomo the possession of an undoubtedly goodsire is. Tho demand for high-class Clydesdale sires was so great at the present time, not only in Scotland for every rsiarket'in the world, but also in th'is Dominion for tho Australian Commonwealth that those who owned specially good breeding-horses could scarcely be tempted to part with them. Indeed, it might be said quite truly that tTic beat breeding Clydesdale sires in' Scotland to-day aro : unbuyable. Of course, the progeny of these sires is procurable, and forge numbers of excellent specimens of tho breed have been exported during the year to practically every agricultural community in the world. This great demand has not by any means been confined'to stallions. During the past year there were exported from Scotland 1617 registered pedigree Clydesdale stud horses and mares.

The splendid market Australia has provided us with for all the Clydesdale stallions and mares we have been able to spare during the past three years, has caused a great revival in draught-horso breeding, and it is mainly due to thi> good trade with the Commonwealth that, so many of our stud-masters have turned, their attnetiou once more to the Homeland, to replenish, and improve their almost depleted studs. There can be no question that the business of exporting to Australia was in many eases overdone—in some few instances our Clydesdale breeders unfortunately parted with their best—but the demand frequently was so great that farmers and others were often, induced to sell. both, colts and mares that should never have gone out of New Zealand, of such inferior type were they. The export of these miserable specimens of the breed has undoubtedly done harm to the excellent reputation the New' Zealandbred" Clydesdale horse had previously held in Australia. All over New Zealand 111' was to-day a. scarcity of ordinary draught geldings, owing to tho fact that so many indifferent colts were shipped to Australia. It would take time for New Zealand to regain her reputation as a country where Clydesdale horses'equal to those bred in Scotland are produced, and to the Australia buyer, close nt hand and cheaper to buy. • '

Canada and Australia were countries whers the Clydesdale horse is held in favour, but we must not overlook tho fact that in addition our breeders can look to. Argentina as more Mian a probable market, if only wo lay ourselves out to proilnco the type of Clydesdale horse wliich that vast country requires. The Argentinian wants precisely the stamp of draught animhl that our neighbours in the Australian Commonwealth ask for. viz., a horse that combines substance and weight with quality and activity. Like the Australian also, tho Argentinian refliiires a certificate of freedom from heredrtavy unsoundness with the recognised Breed Society's certificate as to tho pedigree traced back for several generations, nnd certified to by as genuine. Here we have no conception of the vastness of the horse-breeding industry in Argentina. There arc over seven and a half-millions of hor.-es in the province of Argentina, of si value of over ,£18,000,0(10. In the draught class, the Forchevoiv was •the earliest of the European breeds taken to South America, and it still holds'sway, there- being in tho province, according to the recent: return, over 12.000- stud animals of that breed. The Argentine farmers, liowcver, are year by year becoming more appreciative of the superiority of tho Clydesdale horse, so that he is an easy first, as far as the British brwds are concerned. Approxiniately, tlio number of piier Clydesdales in Argentina is (1000, as against,'say, -150. Shires, and, say, 100 Suffolks. Here there is another market open to tho New Zealand Clydesdale horse-breeder, and lying as it does about midway between hero and England, it. is almost as accessible to him as\it is to the British exporter of horses.

The points prizes at. tho Hawke's Bay show were won as under:—.Most points in cattle clas-es, other than dairy cattle— W. T. Williams, 77 point?. Dairy cattle —W. I. 1/ivelw.k, 3t point?, 1; Xowlon King, 30 jioints, 2. Lincoln sheep—W. Perry. 58. points, l'oinney Mnrsli sheep— J. K. Hewitt, 38 points. Southdown sheep —Nelson Hros., Ltd.. fiß points. Fat sheen -Pernio and Richmond. 27 points. V.yfincvs' slock—W. Bridgman, 50 points. Pigs —Mrs. M. .Vnll. -It points. Voultry-W. "W. Adams, ill points, 1; E. Baldwin. 7(1 points, 2. Children's needlework—Miss Mary HussoU. 13 points, 1; Miss Hoysie Brabant, 10 points, 1.