ANNUAL HORSE FAIR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2310, 9 June 1898, Page 16

ANNUAL HORSE FAIR.

First Day — Clyi>esd.at,k Horses.

Messrs Wright, Stephecsoc, and Co. report as follows of their sale on Thursday : — The largest number of draught horses that has been offered at any one sale, since fche days of the large importations from Australia, came forward for our annual sale of Clydesdale horsee, which took place to-day. Nearly 100 horses were yarded, and this number would have been augmented had the consignments advised by Messrs Waddell (of Waikaka), J. Hughes (Outraia), Robert Gawn, Robert Charters, and others come* to hand. Buyers had come 'from a distance expecting to buy stock from these wjell-known breeders, and it waa unfortunate for them that their stock was not' .in the yard to-day. There was an Immense gathering of farmers, carriers, contractors, and others, almost every district betwean Ashburton and Invercargill being represented. The quality of the horses offered' was for the most part good, and in all such cases there was splendid competition, and a most satisfactory sale resulted. -Only a few of the aged and inferior sorts failed to find purchasers. In m*res Mr Kobt. Cupples, of Manor Farta, Ofcautau, topped the market with a very good brood mare by Extinguisher, stinted to Craigievar, at £51. Mr Samuel Young's filly by Rory O'More, out of a Clansman mare, came next at £45; aiessrs Webster and Callander's mare by Lord Salisbury, out of Rose, by Sir Colin (imp.), followed at £42 10s. Messrs Sanders Bros.' prize filly by Royalist fetched £40 ; and following her came Mrs C. Miller's Sir Robert mare at £39 and Mr John Sheunan's wellknown prize mare Bess at £39 10s. In geldings £40 was top price, Mr E. O'Reilly's four-year-old horse by Lord Iddesleigh changing hands at that figure. Farther sales at equally satisfactory prices — say, from £20 to £35 — were made on account of Messrs Blair Bros., Thos. Potter, James' Hegarty, A. Bannatyne, Boss and Glendining, Johnston and Robertson, "Wilson Bros., C. M'Gregor, R. Smellie, Win. Hastie, C. Sonntag, W. Kirk, J. Williamson, W. and N. Reid, John Small, A. D. Mathieson, Davie Bros., S. Townley,, Andrew Tweed, Chas. Weir, Thos. Fahey, and Thos. Biihop.

Second Day— Light Hobses,

Messrs Wright, Stephenson, and Co. report as follows :— »

The fair was continued to-day. There was , a?ain a large attendance, and of the 50 odd horses offered 40 changed hands, at, on the whole, very fair values. Bidding was not so keen as in the -case of the draught horses yesterday, but whenever any really first-class animals— strong van hortes especially— came under the hammer there were plenty, of buyers, for them, and they sold freely at from £20 to £27. A few good hacks were sold at from £14 to £21, and several useful buggy and tram horses at from £10 to £18. Aged and ipeedy sorts were, as usual, almost unsaleable.