CLYDESDALE HORSES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19498, 5 June 1925, Page 12

CLYDESDALE HORSES.

AN INTERESTING LECTURE. Mr A. Reid, of Clifton Settlement, Bnlclutha, gave a lecture in the board room of. the New Zealand Express Company last night on the Clydesdale. Mr Johnstone occupied the chair, ami there was a gocd attendance of members of tho Clydesdale Society and others interested in the breed. The Chairman said the purpose for which they were gathered that nignt was unique so far as Dunedin was concerned. Never before had they in Dunedin had the opportunity of listening to an historical, paper on the Clydesdale breed of horses, accompanied by illustrations of most of the famous equine celebrities of tho past and present century. The value of sucli a meeting was educational, and if Otago was to maintain the reputation, which tor over 50 years ::t had held for breeding high-class Clydesdale horses, it was of the utmost importance that their breeders, and more particularly those of the present generation, should give closer attention to the historical tacts relating to the breed and to tho problems involved in breeding. It. was folly to supposo that by promiscuous mating the best results could be obtained. The family blood lines had to he carefully studied if uniformity of type was to be the goal that was to bo aimed at. One had only to note the results that had been achieve! in Great Britain by successful breeders ct the thoroughbred horse, the Clydesdale and tho Shire, to realise what the possibilities were. Judicious line breeding and careful selection would yield results that would load to much-needed improvement in the Clydesdale breed of horses here. They had in Now Zealand the climate and the quality of land that were required for the successful rearing of all classes of stud stock. No other country in the world was so well placed as Now Zealand is in these two respects. This fact had been stressed before, but it could not be said too often that this country had arich heritage as the stud farm of the Southern Hemisphere awaiting the neoesmry enterprise for development. All classes of farm stock could be reared in New Zealand under quite natural conditions, and consequently their stock was immune from the diseases that were common to the live stock bred and reared in other lands under more or leas artificial conditions. Ho would like to say that during the oast six months there had been a distinct improvement in the demand for Clydesdale horses in Great Britain, the United States of America, Canada. Australia, and this dominion. To amplify ho need only refer to Captain A. M. Montgomery’s Netherhall sale held recently, when one of his stallions realised 4400gus, and a two-year-old entire colt realised 14-OOgns; to the sale at Widgiewa, New South Wales this year, whore good entire colts and fillies were sold at up to SOOgna for a yearling colt in the one case, and up to 450gns for a yearling filly in the other, whilst a former New Zealand stallion, Scotland’s Viceroy, was sold for £725. Here in Otago just lately a stallion and two mare? had been sold privately for export to South Australia on account of Mr J. M. Smith, of Kakanui, at prices the equal of which had 'not been obtained in this market for some years. Another encouraging feature of the market for horses was the fact that in Britain, the United States of America. Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, the tendency to replace tho draught horses by the use of tne tractor had been checked, for it had been found under certain conditions that the tractor was more expensive to work and much less dependable,. He did not say that the tractor was always a failure —quite tho reverse—for there were exceptional cases where it was a better proposition than tho horse, but speaking in general terms, the clav had not yet arrived when it could bo saiil that a" substitute had been found far their faithful and tried friend, tho horse.—-(Applause.) Mr Reid who quickly proved ho was an enthusiastic admirer of Clydesdale horses, referred to the assistance given him in preparing his notes by Mr Arch. M‘Neilage. for 47 years secretary of the Clydesdale Horse Society of Great Britain and Ireland, He was also indebted to Mr M’Neilape for photographs of Clydeedale horses well known in the breeding world. Mr Reid went on to refer to tho absolute necessity of line breeding, if success were to be obtained, and said that the two foundation sires of the breed were Prince of Wales and Dornley. Promiscuous breeding was a thing of the past. Horses well known at shows tti Scotland, Australia, - and Dunedin were then shown on the screen, and interestingly commented on by the lecturer. . . On the motion of Mr G. Livingstone, a hearty vote of thanks .was passed to the lecturer.