ROUND THE PENS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 266, 24 October 1935, Page 3

ROUND THE PENS.

(By “The Penman.”) A Royal Agricultural Show is much like any other agricultural show except that it is more of a show. The entries are always larger and the quality better. The twelfth Royal Show which was opened yesterday by the GovernorGeneral, His Excellency Lord Galway, was the second to be held on the Tomoana Showground, the other having been held in 1930. Yesterday’s show, however, so far outstripped the show of 1930 that hardly any comparison can be made between the two and certainly none between this year’s show and any other that has been held in Hawke’s Bay. Yesterday’s show was only some 800 entries more than in 1930, but the quality in almost every section was very much better. And if stock entries were more numerous, stock breeders were also present in much greater numbers. It may safely be said that every stock breeding centre, oi whatever descrip tion the stock might be, was well represented on the showground yesterday, and they filled the avenues between the sheep pens in small and large groups, all interestedly discussing the show and the points of some of the animals Each section came in for keen criticism from these astute breeders, and the general verdict was that the show was one of the best ol the Royal Series, particularly those which have been held in the North Island. CATTLE As usual in the cattle section, the beef breeds came first, and Shorthorns held pride of place in the schedule.

Time was, too, when they held pride of place in number of entries, and in high average quality, but the entries have dwindled down, although quality has been maintained. The only exhibitor in these classes is Mr D. J. Holden, Alangateretere, but Mr Holden’s animals are all of a high standard of quality, especially his recently imported bull, Vindictive of Stonelands, considered by some good judges to be one of the finest Shorthorn bulls yet im ported into the Dominion. Herefords made easily the best display yet seen at a Hawke’s Bay show, the presence of a number of exhibits from the two Poverty Bay breeders, Hutchinson Bros, and F. K. Humphreys, the Wairoa breeder, Air Ewan Jefferson, and the Fordell breeder, Mr E. AL Cranstone, and Miss Bessie Donald, of Featherston, all contributed to make these classes very strong. The competition was exceedingly close in most classes. The aged bull classes, which included an imported bull, shown by Miss Donald, was generally conceded to be the strongest Hereford class that had been seen on the. ground. Aberdeen Angus, as is now usual, was the strongest section amongst the beef breeds, and the quality was in keeping. Class after class contained a splendid lot of animals, and in almost every class the full card list was exhausted in expressing the merits of the exhibits. The two imported bulls which gained Royal champion and reserve champion honours respectively, should play a prominent part in still further improving the quality of the breed. _ Red Polls came first in the dairy varieties, and thanks to the. exceptionally fine exhibits of Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, of Tai Tapu, Canterbury, Mr G. R. Forster-Pratt, of Palmerston North, and Air John Al. Campbell, of Feildmg, the breed made a very fine show indeed, and the Hawke’s Bay public saw almost for the first time something of what Red Polls should be.

Ayrshires came forward from only one exhibitor, Air J. G. Donald, of Featherston, imt his splendid exhibits would have been good enough to win in keen competition. Friesians were also present in much larger numbers than usual at this show, and the quality was outstanding for this breed. It is doubtful if a better lot of Friesians has been seen at any one show in the Dominion. The competition was close and awards well divided.

Milking Shorthorns hold their own well in popular favour, and the classes yesterday wore well filled by animals of a very gqod and even type, with the prizes well distributed. Jerseys were amongst the strongest classes in the dairy section, and the quality was particularly high, scarcely an indifferent animal being penned. The Royal champion and reserve championships, for cows and bulls, went to animals of outstanding merit, SHEEP. Ono has to go back many years to find any Lincolns to equal those seen on the showground yesterday. Messrs L. I’. Wilton and Eric T. Wilton penned a grand lot oi Lincolns, ol that massive, even type

that the “Penrose” Lincolns mads famous for many year*. The chief honours nearly ull went to the two breeders named, and deservedly so, for their exhibits were in a class by themselves.

Border Leicesters were about of the same average good quality as for several years. English Leicesters, however, though all irom one stud, that ot Eir Ji. Heaton Rhodes, oi Tai Tapu, Canterbury, were of a quality which Hawke's Bay shcepbreeders had almost lorgocten. It was good to see such a fme lot of typical English Leicesters. Romney -Marsh loomed less largely on the horizon than in years gone by, the entries being less than was the case a few years ago. However, with such breeders in the held as Sir William Perry, G. E. Allen, and AV. H. Buick and Son, from AVairarapa, W. C. Small, of Feildmg, and Voss Bros., of Palmerston North, it will be understood that there was no lack of quality. Sir William Perry almost swept the board of the chief prizes in the ram classes, though each of the other exhibits had a winning turn. In the ewe classes the prizes were more distributed. The show was one that has seldom been surpassed and was worthy ot the breed and of a Royal Show.

Natural-condition Romneys were a very fine lot indeed, though in all classes the quality was not as even as it might have been, the prize-winners Standing right out from some ot the others. A very pleasing feature in this section was the success of several new exhibitors, who will no doubt again be induced to try the quality of their stock.

Southdowns, always a good section, was this year better than it has been

for some years, and the prize-taking animals would be hard to neat at any show. To Air James Knight, of Feilding. went the champion honours for both sexes. Southdowns, in natural condition, saw the Hawke's Bay breeder, Mr AV. J. Gimblett, secure all the leading prizes, including the two championships and reserve championships, with as fine and typical a lot of Southdown* as could "be seen anywhere in the Dominion.

Corriedales. To many Hawke’s Bay breeders this section was the surprise of the show. The entries were surprisingly large and the quality even more so. Corriedales equal to those shown by the Bushey Park Estate have not been penned on a Hawke’s Bay showground before. Other breeders, notably Messrs D. Sidey and Mr Inn Hamilton, also sent fine Corriedales, and these classes attracted perhaps more attention from local breeders than anv others in the sheep section. Ryelands were again a nice lot. more numerous than previously, and the exhibits of the Feilding Agricultural High School and Mr Joseph Red, of Ashhurst, lent interest to the competition, and they took their share of the prizes.