SHOW COMPETITORS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23594, 1 March 1940, Page 10

SHOW COMPETITORS

Sir, —The Auckland Show has come and gone with the usual congratulations on efficient organisation, but there are a few points I would like to raise publicly. Presumably, the show is run for the pleasure of the public and io encourage the breeding and showing of livestock, but the management seems to go out of its way to antagonise all concerned. Saturday unfortunately was extremely wet, hut 110 pass-out tickets were issued from the stand, and anyone leaving the stand had to pay 2s each time they went back. One lady of my acquaintance had a small girl competing, and, as she naturally wished to see her each time she was going into the ring, it cost her 6s for the privilege for the niternoon. Another family party of three were mulcted of quite a considerable iunount under similar circumstances. In both these cases the parents declare that their children will never compete again. The gates were locked against competitors as if they wore in gaol, and one man who brought one of his horses in and then went hack for another spent a happy half-hour on the road chatting with the gatekeeper before he was allowed to enter the sacred precincts. In another case, a competitor had to lead a mare and foul out of the car entrance, whore his trailer was, down the busy road, and in another gate, because thn gates in the grounds themselves were firmly padlocked. Tn the ring itself there were so many officials that it was very difficult indeed to see who was judging, and, indeed, after riding several rounds, I am still very lia/.y as to who was actually the judge. Maybe the association could explain these points to one who was only a competitor, and. therefore. not apparcntlv entitled to any privileges whatsoever. Com I' htn oa.