EASTERN SOUTHLAND

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23692, 27 December 1938, Page 15

EASTERN SOUTHLAND

Fat Lamb Competition Several hundred farmers closely interested in the judging of the Eastern Southland entries for the New Zealand Meat Board's challenge shield visited the Mataura works of the Southland Frozen Meat and Produce Export Company, Ltd., on Thursday and witnessed the judging of the exhibits on the hook and on the hoof prior to shipment for the competition on the Home market. The competition in Eastern Southland is organised each year by the Gore Agricultural and Pastoral Association in conjunction with the frozen meat company • and the Meat B.oard. Pennings this year totalled a few short of 90, compared with 108 last year. The most I logical explanation of the decrease in the number of entries was advanced by one of the judges, who stated that with the abundance of feed in Southland consequent on stimulating rains, lambs in the province have thrived very well; in fact, the greater number has gained so much in condition that they exceed the weight regarded by the Home authorities as most suitable for the frozen meat trade. The judge of the lambs on the hoof was Mr J. J. McCrostie, of Invercargill, who gave the following decisions: P. Smith (Heriot) 1, A. Cleland (Black Hills) 2, W. C. Butler (Riversdale) 3. Messrs N. McGorlick, foreman of the Ocean Beach freezing works, and R. S. McGregor, supervising grader of the Meat Board, carried out the juding on the hook, and after a lengthy examination they chose the following 15 pens as the Eastern Southland representatives for the competition on the Smith field market, the weight of each pen being shown in parentheses: R. Muir, Brydone (341 b, 331 b, 321 b); James Bruce, Pyramid (32, 33, 33); A. D. Dickie, Croydon (35, 34, 36); W. C. Butler, Riversdale (35, 35, 33); P. Finlayson, Wendonside (35, 35, 33); H. Hazlett, Lintley (33, 35, 31); A. Jameson, Lintley (34, 30, 30); Logan Bros., Otama (36, 37, 36); Robert Miller, Gore, Waipounamou (36. 37, 36); A. D. Mcßain, Otama (35, 37, 35); G. W. McKenzie, Croydon Siding (34, 33. 32); J. Pullar and Sons, Crookston (36, 34, 33); J. Rae, Crookston (32, 32, 34); P. Smith, Heriot (35, 35, 36); G. and R. Wright, Croydon Siding (34, 32. 32). Among the above 15 pens the following were chosen as the best three:— R. Muir (Brvdone) 1, J. Bruce (Pyramid) 2, A. D. Dickie (Croydon) 3.