OUR READERS’ OPINIONS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3461, 13 October 1913, Page 6

OUR READERS’ OPINIONS.

THE SUMMER SHOW. [TO THE EDITOa] Sir.—As the time draws inch for the closing of entries for the forthcoming A. and P. Show, it might not be amiss if one interested should point out one or two things as they appear on this year’s schedule. These points which I will mention have been forciblv brought to my notice during the last week, when I have been asked several times to “come along and have a look at my fine young Jersey bull; I want you to see if you think he is good enough for the Show.” The blank look of astonishment when I told several would-be exhibitors that the pets they had been wasting their time over were barred, presumably at the instigation of the Jersey Breeders’ Association, may well be imagined. I myself had ho less than, four good yearlings and two-year-olds, to sav nothing of older animals which I have been preparing more or less for the Last three months. Ut course, I was not so much surprised as some of the new exhibitors. Some animals with the hall mark of blue blood, to wit a herd book number, were beaten, last year. The fact of the pedigrees of the late Mr Jas. Booth’s herd having disappeared, places the many* splendid animals descended from that herd in the position of being ineligible for entry in the herd hook. If such a drastic step as the total elimination of the Jersey open classes as far as males are concerned, was .intended. surely some reasonable notice might have been <>ivon. so as to stop breeders saving likely bull calves, or f-om giving fancy prices for animals which could not now be of any value for show purposes? To mention only one glaring case of injustice of the course adopted, I would point out that the male progeny of that splendid cow Primrose (last year’s dairy champion) by that grand bull “Golden Crest” (imp) sold for £350, Is now ineligible. I for one did not think that the A. and P. Association would have catered for the few at the expense of the large and increasing number of exhibitors. I myself have been a large and consistent exhibitor since I think 1886, showing in. the horse, cattle, sheep, pig, poultry, dog and produce classes, but to uso a vulgarism I am just about “fed up” at this latest knock at the “small” man. Lest you, Sir. should think that there is only good in the intentions of the owners of the stock with a number attached, I might point out that there is such a thing as a dairy cup, to be won on points. Now. while there is a goodly number of classes in which herd book males can pile up points for their owners, the grades (?) •annot assist their owners at all Then, turn to the last four classes in the Dairy Section. You will oh-, serve that, in the milking classes in which a herd book cow might win both events and so annex six points, or it is even possible that three herd cows could add 12 points, while in the last two classes “‘dry dairy cow” and “two best dairy heifers”, in which two classes the herd book stuff ennnot compete. The points, this year, don’t count towards the Cup. To go even farther, the two championships for dairy bull and cow (only ,a certificate bt- the wav') have also boon struck out. —Yours, etc., “NTJFF SED.”