BREEDING FIRST-CLASS HORSES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3400, 14 May 1919, Page 45

BREEDING FIRST-CLASS HORSES.

Dear Sentinel, —I have read with interest your remarks on Mr W. T. Hazlett's Simper and Spig of Erin fillies, also letter under the heading of "Breeding First-class Horses in the South," and your leader headed in Southland" in this week's paper. Perhaps Mr Sentinel you have the impression, that Southland has a horrible climate, an impression I once held, but after a residence of 10 years I have changed my views. You attribute an improvement to Southland as being brought about by the use of the drain plough; but you overlooked its partner "Lime," the free use of which is strongly reccommended by the successful farmers. Limestone country ia acknowledged to bo the ideal place for horse rearing. Now, why should not land heavily limed be also good? You must admit Southland can produce stock of all kinds. Its draughts are good and are freely exported to Melbourne and elsewhere. Amongst the cattlo and sheep stud farms of New Zealand, the Waimahaka Estate holds a foremost place for its Bemney sheep and stud Hereford cattle, which

find ready sale throughout New Zealand, Australia, and even South America. The Fresian breeders can favourably compare with other parts of the Dominion. A North Island buyer of note was heard to remark on the Dunedin-Invercargill train, "I have just returned from Waimabaka, where I have inspected the finest Hereford cattle and Romney sheep in the Dominion." The trotters and paoers reared in Southland are no disgrace, and can hold up our reputation on the courses from Invercargill to Auckland, although Southland has never had a Harold Dillon, Wildwood Jun., Galindo Hal, Zolock, Petereta, or Advance at their service. : Nor yet have they had imported American mares. The thoroughbred breeders of Southland never had such stallions as Martian, Kilbroney, Boniform, Hymettus, Rokeby, Demosthenes,. Eleysian, All Black, or Birkenhead looated here. Now compare their damsLa Bohemienne, Jealousy, and Ingela—with the matrons in the stud of Sir George Clifford or Messrs J. B. Reid, Stead, Buchanan, Dalgety, and other Northern breeders, and I am sure you will agree with me that Southland up till now has never had sires or dams of sufficient quality to breed a Carbine, a Trenton, a Bonoform, a Sasanof, a Kilboy, a Desert Gold or an Affectation.

A maintain that Southland can be made to produce a good horse or horses of the first flight. But you can't rear a Cup or Derby winner in a paddock with a mob of dairy cows or sheep. If you go in for stud stock you have to look after them and have the right feed and shelter, good fences, winter them well, and when you go to that much trouble why not rear a good one. "Which is only to be got by the judicious mating of good sires and dams, and then look well after the dam and offsprings with stable, feed, and shelter hedges, likewise with a racehorse. I trust some other sports will •follow Mr Hafclett's lead in buying good mares, and then it would be worth while for a good stallion to be introduced to Southland and so Southland retain her punch. I understand Mr W. Couser of Mataura Island has made a start to build up a small stud.—l am, etc..

Wanderer. P.S.—The writer considers Daringdale as a better horse than Johnny Faa. —W.