SOUTHDOWNS.

Northern Advocate, 17 March 1939, Page 3

SOUTHDOWNS.

Highly pleasing to the judge, Mr D. J. Cooper, was the good standard of quality throughout the Southdown classes. The only complaint he had to find was that quite a number of the entries were weak about the head, a fault which could be rectified by breeders. Mr J. R. Self, of Papatoetoe, repeated his Waibtira success by entering both the champion and reserve champion ram, while Mr H. McCarroll, of Tapuhi, scored in the ewe championship with a really fine example of the breed. Perhaps the outstanding class was that for two-tooth ewes, in which all nine entries were of a very fine type. The winner was placed second among the two-tooth Romneys at the Auckland Show.

The reserve champion ram won the gold medal for Mr J. R. Self in the two-tooth class, and was a sheep which could hold its own anywhere. AYRSHIRES. Dispersal of several of the larger herds in the district probably accounted for the paucity of Ayrshire entries, was the opinion of the judge, Mr P. Bremer (Tamahere). In contrast, he said, there had been exceptionally strong Ayrshire classes throughout the Waikato this season. Winners at Whangarei, however, were of very good type. Although unopposed, Mr D. M. Walker's champion bull Carmelglen Footprint, would have stood up to competition anywhere. He was descended from one of the Canadian importations of Mr T. M. Thompson. Consistent supporter of the Whangarei Show, Mr J. I. Wilson, of Maunu, annexed the female championship with Te Hapai June, which was at a disadvantage in not being in milk. She is a lengthy cow of good characteristics. Strongest competition was in the heifer classes, where there were two particularly fine yearlings. LARGE WHITES. All the Large Whites shown were of outstanding quality, said Mr G. Whitelock, of Palmerston North, while regretting that the competition was restricted. Championships in both sexes went to Raynes'Bros., of Papakura, whoso entries were of excellent type.. The pigs shown, generally, would have maintained their prestige at any exhibition. FAT SHEEP. Numerically, the fat sheep were not strong, but the prize-winners were all good sorts, and their condition was praiseworthy, said Mr T. Marks, of the Auckland Meat Company. The line entered by Messrs. G. and R. Coates was of uniformly nice quality. FAT CATTLE. Blacks and Herefords divided the prize-money equally among the fat cattle, also judged by Mr Marks, who found the section much stronger than when he officiated here last yeai’. The freezing classes, in which the entries were numerous, produced a fine line of stock.