TAIERI ANNUAL WINTER SALE OF DRAUGHT HORSES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2565, 13 May 1903, Page 19

TAIERI ANNUAL WINTER SALE OF DRAUGHT HORSES.

Donald Reid and Co. (Limited) report as follows: — We held our seventh annual winter sale of draught colts and fillies, inures and geldings, at our Taieri saleyards, Allanton, on Thursday. May 7. The day proved remarkably fine, and it was very gratifying to us 10 see the large and representative gathering of breeders, fanners, and horse buyers in attendance from all parts of Canterbury, Otago, and Southland. The popularity and appreciation of these. sale 3is shown in the yearly increasing numbers of first-clnss stock submitted, and in the increased number of influential buyers and judges of first-clas3 horses who attend thes^ sales, where thoy can have the advantage of supplying themselves with young, sound, well-brc-d draught stock direct from the breeders. In past seasons we have had tha pleasure of putting forward large catalogues of first-class stcck to interestsd a,nd representative gatherinp3 of buyers at these saleß. but that held by tis on Thursday, in point of number of entries, quality of stock, attendance of buyers, spirited bidding, und prices realised, is beyond anything we have seen in Ota^o since the early sixties, and reminded one more of the old stirring gold-digging times, when, owing to the h'gh cartage rates, prices were only a secondary consideration with buyers, and auctioneers had a morry timo. At the sale the northern buyers succeeded in securing a, largo proportion of the best animals offered. Our entry on this occasion comprised 149, all heavy, draught horses. Of this number S2 were heavy draught three and four-year-okl colts and fillies, and 57 draught mares and geldings four years old and upwards. Sales started punctually at 10.30, and, under spirited bidding, the whole catalogue was cleared at 4 p.m. Of the total number entered, 103 were sold under the hammer, 46 being passed in, bidding not meeting owners' vi'ws. For one specially fine mare, by Briton, Mr Waiter Blackie refused £70 during the day. Draught mares and fillies sold to £61, geldings to £54, and two and three-year-old colts to £47. Many 6plondid horses were sold during the day. but we give below particulars of a few of the highest prices ones: Mr Robert Gawn (of Deer Park) secured the highest price for mares, a six-year-old by Lion King fetching £64, while Mr SV. R. Gawn got the same price for a three-year-old unbroken filly by Hatfield. The next highest priced mare was anve-year-old by Kir.g of Quality, bred by Mr George Nicol (Taurima). sold at £06; then Mr John Bruce's mare Jean, £51 ; then Mr R. Chart-ers's four-year-old mare by The M'Callum, £49. Others sold at £33 to £47. The geldings and unbroken colts were a good lot, and Mr James Gow (Invermay) and Mr George Ruthven (Moßgiel) both got £54. A four-year-old gelding by Hatfield, bred by Mr \V. R. Gawn. brought £53. and a four-year-old, by Lord Lyon, bred by Mt George Nicol (Taurima). £50. Four sold at £48, six at £46. and se\-eral others at £35 to £43. Mr D. Andrew (The Grange), Mr T. J. Gawn (Holmhead), and Mr Dezinia O'Brien (Winsatui) each secured £U

for unbroken colts. Mr C. Fird'.ay (FJndlayston). £1S; Mr J. H. Allen (Holmes), £41; Mr W. Shand (Keith Hall), £43 ; and a great many others found new owners at prices ranging from £27 10s to £39. -