THE FORTHCOMING SHOW.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1003, 8 July 1879, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE FORTHCOMING SHOW.

[TO THK EDITOH or TIIE XEW ZEALAND AGRICULTURIST.] Sir,—The decision of the Committee of the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association to abolish the eups for the largest prize-takers iu the several classes is a very wise and politic step, and I give them every praise for having at last adopted a course that cannot fail to render the Society's shows popular amongst small_ owners of stock. The money that his hitherto been expended upon the purchase of pieces of plate will, if devoted to increasing the value of the prizes for champion animals in various classes, effect a vast amount of good. I take it that the object of the Association is to encourage the breeding of a superior class of stock, and such being the case, it is only right that quality and not quantity should receive the greatest amount of favor at the Society's sliov.-s. Hitherto the reverse has been the ease, and men who could produce the largest number of exhibits have as a rule secured the cups. This has led to a very considerable amount of dissati-faction, and it was high time that the alteration was made. It must be acknowledged that the man who can produce two thoroughly wellbred animals of any kind—animals calculated to improve the breed of the particular class of stock—does more to benefit the country than the man who can show five or ten times the number of moderately-bred animals, not in any way calculated to beget an improvement in the breed. Let us have special prizes of a valuable kind for animals of superior excellence, and the general quality of stock at our shows will be much better than it has ever •been before. We shall not have a fine lot of exhibits in any one class disgraced by the presence of stock of so inferior a nature as to be utterly unsuited to the show ring. There may be a small fa ling off for a year or two in the number of exhibits; but this loss will be more than counterbalanced by the fact that visitors would not be able to heap ridicule upon us for permitting inferior stock to come up for judgment. Men who do not at present exhibit would certa : nly be found competing under such a system. In tlr's way the immediate loas might eventually prove a decided gain. A greater desire to excel would be created, and men of small means would be placed on a footing of greater equality with those possessed of broad acres and capacious purses.—l am, &c., Stockowner, Hampden, July 1.