PREPARING SHOW SHEEP

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVII, Issue 14, 17 January 1913, Page 2

PREPARING SHOW SHEEP

FAKING CONTROVERSY

REVIVED

GOVERNING BODIES INACTIVE

Mr H. D. Vavasour, the wellknown ■ Marlborough Shropshire breeder, has expressed the following opinion upon the coloring, trimming, and covering of sheep intended for exhibition. Mr Vavasour says: — "Coloring sheep should never be allowed, and any sheep artificially colored should be (ipso facto) disqualified. Coloring Shropshires was in vogue in England some years ago. His Majesty the late King Edward was chiefly instrumental in doizig away with the practice as being paJ.pably dishonest, and no one now ever s^ees a Shropshire sheep at a show in England' artificially colored. True Shropshire wool has a yellow tinge in its natural state. Owners of badlybred sheep that had not the true Shropshire color in the wool therefore took to coloring so as to minimise their chances of being turned down for not having the true Shropshire wool. This, of course, was dishonest, and hence it was done away with in England, and should be so in New Zealand. ASSOCIATIONS FEAR THEIR OWN RULES. "The Canterbury Association recognise the dishonesty of the practice by the following rule in their eon'ditions for exhibiting sheep, which reads as follows: —' The giving of a prize to a sheep shall imply that the judges are satisfied that such sheep are not •volored _ by any artificial process.' But this rule is not enforced, and attention was drawn to this a few days after the last Christchurch show. It seems to me ridiculous to affirm the principle that coloring is dishonest, make a rule against it, and then not carry it out. There were many sheep at the last show artificially colored that were awarded prizes, and I heard many comments on the matter. I consider any sheep artificially colored should bo (ipso [ facto) disqualified and not allowed to compete. j

"FAKING" AGAIN CONDEMNED

"As regards trimming sheep, it is quite on regie, quite so much so as'; grooming a horse and trimming his j mane and tail, and exhibitors should be encouraged to bring out their ; stock .in the best manner possible, > Of course-, dishonest trimming, i.e., ! blocking, should be put down with inst as strong a hand as coloring. Blocking or faking a sheep is trying to hide the defect? .of the carcase by leaving the wool long in one place and short in another, in hopes of deceiving the judge-, but any judge who could be taken in in this manner would be a mere tyro, and not know his business. The Canterbury Association has quite a sufficient regulation on this matter. Clothing sheep, i.e., systematically housing or clothing sheep, should be discouraged, but there is no harm in putting on a light cloth on a sheep for a week or so before a show, after they have been got ready. Tt is essential for sheep that are travelling long distances by rail or sea that they should be protected, otherwise they could not hope to compete on anything like equal

terms with local sheep, as they would he black with smoke and dust. I take it it is the aim of all associations to get as much outside competition as possible."