THE EXHIBITION SHOW.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIV, Issue 13935, 18 December 1905, Page 4

THE EXHIBITION SHOW.

Experts are already exercising their minds m devising plans which will make the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s next show ono of the most memorable features of Exhibition year. It is hoped to make the show a ' 1 draw ’ ’ which few visitors will be able to resist, and at least one novelty which will assist to realise that expectation is a rough-riding competition, an idea suggested to a reporter by Mr Twerityman Hodgson on Saturday. The Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association is traditionally wary of experiments that tnay tend to detract from the dignity of its show, but it is considered that roughriding comes fairly within the scope of '■’legitimate business.” Mr Hodgson says that the factor most prominent in the exceptional success of the Southland Association’s recent show was a rough-riding competition, in which horsemen from the North Island, and even Victoria, took part. Mr J. S. Rutherford was primarily responsible for providing this interesting “turn.” He got thirty horses down from the North Island, and lent them to the Association. The animals were sufficiently frisky to searchingly test the calibre of the jockeys, and the buck-jinnping thoroughly entertained a concourse, of fifteen thousand spectators. The horses were sold after their performance, and averaged £lO each. Mr Rutherford earned glowing compliments for his enterprise in ensuring an unprecedented success for the show. In his zeal to make the roughriding contests a first-class attraction, he financially assisted competitors, to come from different districts, and eminently proved himself a friend in need. Mr Hodgson urges that Canterbury could advantageously copy Southland’s example, in order to give outstanding interest to the 11 Exhibition show.” Ho suggests that ten gentlemen should each guarantee £IOO, and that the resultant £IOOO should be used to secure horses for rough-riding competitions, to bo spread over four days. The horses could be sold subsequently, and in case there should bo a deficit, the authorities should make it good, in case the “syndicate” was not prepared to suffer a loss. , Mr Hodgson had also another idea to offer. He suggests that, in order to obtain completely representative entries. with healthy rivalry, the colony should be divided into “ bay’s,” which would furnish their quota of exhibits. His map for the >South Island comprises the' following sections;—lnver-

cargill to Gore, Gor© bo Dunedin, Dunedin to Waitald, Waitaki to Christchurch, Christchurch, to Cheviot. The North Island, Mr Hodgson concluded, could b© similarly cut up into suitable areas.