SOUTHLAND SHOW

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27572, 14 December 1950, Page 9

SOUTHLAND SHOW

Twenty Thousand Attend People’s Day

Staff Reporter

INVERCARGILL, Dec. 13. After further rain last night, the weather cleared today, and People’s Day at the Southland A. and P. Association’s show was held under almost perfect conditions, which drew a crowd estimated at 20 000 people. After the official opening by Mr G. H. Hendrie, agricultural adviser to the United Kingdom High Commissioner in New Zealand, the ring was the focus of attention for the grand parade. The champions in all sections, from places as far away as Christchurch, paraded in a display which showed the primary production potentialities of a province favoured by first-class conditions for stock raising.

The grand parade served to illustrate the progress that has been made by the show at Invercargill since it was first held in 1862. On that occasion there was an entry of 74, with prize money totalling £2OO, and the gate money returns being £l2. Today the show has nearly 2000 entries competing for £llsO in prizes, and the gate takings total nearly £3OOO. The first show had a few Ayrshlres, Shorthorns, merinos and horses, ' but today the schedule catered lor nine breeds of sheep, for wool, for eight breeds of cattle, for horses and ponies of all kinds, and for dogs, besides special classes for young farmers and riders of all ages. In his opening address, Mr Hendrie said that Southland agriculture had much in common with that of Britain, with its same thoroughness and attention to detail, the generous maintenance of fertility, the degree of dependence on arable crops for winter feeding periods, the amount of tile drainage, the use of lime, and, underlying it all, the deep love of livestock. Land development in the New Zealand sense of the word was virtually completed centuries ago in Britain, he said, and Southland today was the product of less than 100 years' work. The province was still in the process of being made. It was possible to see the wealth of Southland's primary production, for the province had 11 per cent, of the breeding ewes of New Zealand and sent more than 2,000,000. or 12 per cent, of the fat lambs, to the freezing works. “ To Engish eyes, the lamb-fattening pastures of Southland are strangely lacking in cattle,” he said. It was worth remembering that the big gap in the United Kingdom meat market was the shortage of beef. The big majority of the sections were judged yesterday, and only the horse classes, with an entry of 717, compared with 734 last year, were decided today. THOROUGHBREDS There were good entries in the thoroughbred classes, which were judged by Mr J. J. Wood, of Oreti. He awarded the championship to the consistent Theo Gray horse, Theseus, which was also champion at Gore, Wyndham and Invercargill last year, and has now repeated the performance this year. The horse Is- a stylish thoroughbred, a yearling by Haughty stock for show purposes. The reserve champion was also a promising type of thoroughbred, a yearling by Haughty Winner and led by J. C. Cook, Wyndham. The champion thoroughbred mare was a well-confbrmed type of two-year-old filly exhibited by Miss Mary Hazlett. of Invercargill. Mr J. L. Parsons, of Hakataramea, judged the saddle horses, which, he said, were as good as he had seen in the South Island this season, and he had experienced difficulty ifi separating style, manners, conformation and bone, as there was ample evidence of quality. He awarded the championship to the Canterbury horse, S. C. Cliff’s Recovery, which was the champion at Leeston, Dunedin, Milton, Balclutha and Wyndham this season. Well qualified to judge horses, Mr Parsons has been a noted exhibitor himself for a number of years. At the Royal Show at Invercargill in 1948 Mr Parsons won the championship jump on Ginger Jack, and this well-known animal is still winning championships in Canterbury. He has been shown only twice this season and has been successful on both occasions. L. A. Dickie’s (Mataura) Silver Dollar, the stylish grey with good manners and movement and ridden by Mrs W. Green, was awarded the championship against Recovery at Gore, but had to give way to the northern entry today. Mrs Green won the championship for best lady rider. She has become well known in Southland and Otago show rings as a first-class lady rider over a number of years. The champion cob shown by Miss Joan Spiers, of Gore—Te Tipua—held himself very well and bad style and manners in action and was a good walker. Class awards went to Miss M. Jones’s (Edendale) Silver Dollar, J. C. Lindsay’s (Otahuti) 11-stone cob, D. Gray’s (Heddon Bush! 11-stone undocked, L. A. Dickie’s 13stone class and best mannered paced hack. J. W. McKenzie’s (East Chatton) 15-stone class, G. C. Wilson’s (Knapdale) troop horse, S. C. Cliff’s (Christchurch) lady s hack over 15 hands, and Miss G. Mcßride’s (Te Tipua) lady’s hack under 15 hands QUALITY CLYDESDALES The breeding section of Clydesdales paraded some fine animals, according to the judge, Mr D. Caldwell, Edendale. Although entries were not as big as in past years, the quality was as high as ever The champion mare was owned by Logan Brothers, Otama, and Allison Brothers, Milton, were close runners-up, taking the reserve award. Both of these pairs of competitors have taken a prominent part in Otago show rings with their Clydesdales. The champion entire, which was

exhibited by the Waimatuku breeder, Mr J. S. Anderson, was a good-quality horse, but could have done with a little more size. Mr J. Johnston (Waikaka Valley) took the reserve award. Among the young females, the /Winning two-year-old filly was outstanding and won the Clydesdale medal. The yearling filly won the trophy for the best filly, two years or under. , WORKING DRAUGHTS The champion of the working draughts clasess was Mr D. Lindsay's Glensoe Pride, which was a fine type of mare, but a little on the small size, according to the judge, Mr A. Noble, of Gore. It was still comparatively young, he said, and was well boned, with a good action. The reserve champion was W. A. Moffat's (Baiclutha) Duke, a fine upstanding gelding, which did not show the quality of the champion mare. Although the entries were smaller than last year, the quality was still there, Mr Noble said. The advent of the tractor and other modern farm machinery was having a serious effect on the use of the working draught, and he could not see any likelihood of increased entries in the future SADDLE PONIES The section was one of the best he had ever adjudicated, said the judge of the saddle ponies, Mr J. S. Lilley (Rakaia) The champion docked pony, Danny Boy, owned by R. Philpott, Invercargill, was an'excellent specimen, having good manners and a fine carriage. The reserve champion, owned by D. S. Clark, of Invercargill, was also a good animal. The champion undocked pony, Black Beauty, owned by Miss R Stevenson (Dacre), was an animal which caught the eye because of its colour. “ This pony would win championship ribbons at any show in New Zealand,” Mr Lilley said. Saddle ponies were divided into two sections, and in Class A Misses J. and G. Swale's (South Hillend) Grey Spark was the champion. Although they are better known for their high-class Clydesdale stock, Allison Brothers, of Milton, have also a reputation for ponies, and their Charm won the reserve championship award. N. O Moffat (Baiclutha) gained a placing. TROTTERS AND PACERS Mr J. H. Winter’s (Invercargill) Stirling Castle won the championship for the stallion in the trotters’ and pacers’ section. This horse was well known throughout the South Island before it finished racing two years ago and was retired to the stud. It is by. Dillon Hall from Stirling Lady and was a good performer at Invercargill, Forbury and Addington. , HARNESS HORSES A feature of the harness horse section was the defeat of the Royal Show champion Modern Maid by Eynsford Pony Farm’s (Mataura) Lili Marlene, which has shown particularly good paces and style at Southland and South Otago shows this season. Mr D. M. Wilson (Mataura), who produced this horse in excellent show condition, with the assistance of W. Barr, of Christchurch, gained a well-earned victory. The champion harness pony was F Blick’s (Invercargill) Solitaire, which has had several successes at Southland shows in recent years. The feature of this horse’s ability is his high-stepping movement, and he responds well to driving. Mr Blick also showed the champion 12.2 hands pony, and this was also a fine-moving type of horse. HUNTING EVENTS Ground conditions were good for the hunting events, and on each day the best of the district hunt clubs in Southland were sent over the jumps. The South Island Championship Jump was won by G. C. Wilson's (Knapdale) Rocket, a young horse that has been fairly successful at South Otago and Southland shows this season. This horse was closely followed by Mrs W. Green’s (Gore) Sylvia’s Effort, which has been a prominent prize-winner at Southland and Otago shows in recent years. Among the most prominent Eastern Southland exhibitors of hunting horses are the Winsloe brothers, of Waikaka, and their pony, Contact, has been successful during the past three years as one of the best pony jumpers that Southland has seen in a long time. Their Sparkler has been a most successful hunter behind the hounds of the district clubs of Southland, and it won the competition for the best hunter owned bv a member of a hunt club.

The Ladles’ Championship Jump was won by Miss N. Smith (Invercargill), with a fine type of lady’s hunter, Jazzalong. Second in this important ladies’ championship was Miss Mary Hazlett’s (Invercargill) Riot, which was considered by the judge as one of the best jumpers he had seen ridden by a lady rider. Miss Smith’s horse, which made a very good rdund, won the class for list hunters in a field of 22 starters.