MARLBOROUGH POULTRY ASSOCIATION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 169, 18 July 1908, Page 2

MARLBOROUGH POULTRY ASSOCIATION.

*. ANNUAL SHOW.. The annual Show under the* auspices oj[ the Maryborough Poultry Association, was opened yesterday, and dur.ing the afternoon, and more particularly the evening, a liberal support -»vas accorded by the poultry-loving public. The Town Hall for the time being is turned into a miniature farmyard, with the inhabitants in cages, arid the showing of the birds is highly creditable, and must be gratifying in the extreme to the energetic secretary and president and the many others who have worked so, hard for some * - time past to make the show a success. The exhibition is larger and of a better quality than those on record previously, the number o£ entries in some ' ■of the sections far Outnumbering that t of previous years. ,The Wyandotte and Leghorn classes were especially well filled, and y in these sections com-1 petition was keen. ' Mrs C. Berry had very hard luck in losing,the Levin Trophy {or the best fancy pigeon in the show. Sh^ had . two legs-in, and only wanted tx> win ! this year to take the trophy outright,. { She was by one of her /own birds, which-she had sold to Mr,G. v Daiuells, the winner this year. 'The Garrison Band played in front of the hall during the early part of the evening. ,\ THE JUDGE'S OPINION. The judge for this year's show, Mr G. Woodward,, of Ballarat,; Victoria,/ kindly spared our , representative a feY moments during the after- , , noon to giv,e his opinion aA to the exhibits': in general, and a few remarks ■concerning particular classes. ■*" In the first place, Mr Woodward remarked that he was very to see separate classes for the utility birds, V«t he thought it might be impressed upon exhibitors that although i the birds were, for utility purposes, still they should be put in the pens in show condition. Several of s the birds exhibited in this class had been - put into the pens without any preparation whatever. Generally 'speaking, however, the quality of the exhibits was much better than that of last; yjear, the class that stood, out above"* all others being White \Leghorns. In the Orpington classes the birds were well up to • the average, the majority being of excellent type and in good condition and of good A great improvement was noticeable in this year's exhibit of Buff Orpingtons,. Competition was not very keen i ,iii the Dorking sections,' but two or ' three of the winning birds could have lield their own in very much stronger ■competition. The Rocks .. and' Hamburgs were both good ex- | hibitsi in the former class Mr W. A:\ Sowraan, and in the latter Mr Ron Sbwman, carrying off the majority of i the prizes. ■ In the Langshan classes ! the quality-of the birds was above the I average. The winning cock was - es- I pecially worthy of mention, being; xunner-ut> for the—prize for the best ' bird in the show. Golden Wyandottes I made, an excellent display, Mr James i Brown winning the whole of the first prizes .■ throughout the section with- excellent. birds. The White Wyandotte exhibit was the best in the show, nearly every bird being qualified to hold its own in almost' any competition in New Zealand. They showed great quantity of feather, were pure in colour, and the type was all that could be desired. The cock ' bird shown by -Mr J. L. Lord won the championship for the best any-o^her^ variety Wyando^te in the show. Mr Lord was also successful in the pullet section/ The entries for the. ,White Leghorn sections were rather weak for this generally popular breed of poultry, several of the birds being too plain and coarse. In the Brown and Buff i Leghorn sections the - entries were good, arid the prize pullet exhibited by Mrs H. Dempsey was a beautifully coloured bird. Several good birds were shown in the Game section, the Duckwing. Game shown by Mr Coleman winning the priae for the best bird in the show. The exhibit of water fowls (ducks, etc.) was of great merit, especially in the Pekin and ,the Runner Duck sections. The winning Pekin drake was good in vsize, colour and type, also winning •the special prize for the best duck or <lrake in the show. The general children's classes were well filled, and this section deserved to be looked after w.elr, as great benefits were denye"d from encouraging the children. Pigeons, canaries, cockatoos and par*ots all made up a display which was particularly creditable, as indeed were the exhibits generally.