THE SCOTTISH STALLION SHOW.

Otago Witness, Issue 3400, 14 May 1919, Page 13

THE SCOTTISH STALLION SHOW.

PRESENTATION TO THE SECRETARY OF THE CLYDESDALE HORSH SOCIETY. (From Our Special 'Correspondent.) GLASGOW, Scotland, March 8. Two. important events have happened since my last communication. The Scottish Stallion Show has been held under the most favourable auspices,, and the secretary of the Clydesdale Horse Society of the. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Mr Archibald. MaeNeilage, has been made the recipient of a handsome testimonial. The Stallion Show must at once bo pronounced an unqualified success. There wa» a great show of horses, and the public afc» tended in their thousands. On the opening day the judging was confined to the selections of two premium horses for the Glasgow district. The first is for the senior premium of £IOO, with handsome service and foal fees, to travel the district in 1920. Ther* were 25 entries, and after a careful examination of the lot the adjudicators made a short leet of seven. Eventually the choica fell upon Royal Tide (19550), a beautiful brown aged three years and nine months* owned by Mr Thomas Clark, Pitlandie. Perth, one of the well-known. Netherlea family. This horse is up to a big size, it gay and stylish, with fiat, thin, broad bone, and capital wearing feet. He is got by Mr Clark's own prize stallion Rising Tide (17454), a get of the great horse Auchenflower (12007). His dam is Daisy of Redwells, by the Cawdor Cup champion Marcellus (11110), one of the greatest sons of Baron's Pride (9122). Next to him was placed a former holder of the premium m Dunure Footline (18333), by Dunure Footprint (15203) out of an Everlasting (11331) mother, and he was followed by Mr Scott Wvllie's Dunure Noble (13109), by the celebrated Baron of Buchlyvie (11263) out of a mare by the Cawdor Cup champion Hiawatha Godolphin (13602). The junior premium offered by the society is of the value of £BO, and to" it, too. are attached valuable service and foal fees. In this case the winner turned out to be the great massive brown colt Border Ensign (19631), owned by Mr Robert Graham, .Kaimflat, Kelso, one year and 10 months. He is by the great champion Dunure Footprint out of Jessamine (23745), by Bancor (11255), a grand breeding horse. Border Ensign is a great colt. He is deep in his frame, grandly ribbed, with his head _ and _ necl? beautifully set on, and he carries himself along in great style on the best of feet and legs. The colt fairly captivated our overseas visitors, of whom a great many stood round the ring while the judging was going on. The reserve was Walter A. Aitkenhead's splendid quality black colt Haining Castle (19739) from Haining Valley, Linlithgow. He is by Dunure Footprint out of a mare by the grandsire of Footprint—" Baron's Pride. There was a great multitude, of agriculturists present on the second day of tha show. Overseas men were prominent, and they took a lively interest in the placing of the horses. The breeding districts were well represented, and quite a number of stallions were engaged on the ground for

seasons years ahead. Nearly 40 aged horses entered the ring. It is questionable if ever a better lot—especially the tops—has been seen at the Scottish Stallion Show. Last year and tho year before it was thought the high-water mark had been reached in this respect, but once again there were about half a score of animals, tho general excellence of which has never been excelled even in the palmy days of Flashwood (3604) and his contemporaries. Tho judges drew out a short ieet of 14. The premier position was assigned to a former Cawdor Cup winner—Dunure Refiner (17872). He was bought by Mr John P. Sleigh, St. John's Wells, Fyvie, at tho recent Dunure Mains salo on behalf of Mr Falconer L. Wallace, the proprietor of the great Edgcote herd of Shorthorns which is now beinp transferred to Balcairn, Aberdeenshire, which ho recently acquired, and where he is building up a stud of first-class Clydesdales. The price paid for Refiner was tho handsome ©no of 3500g5. Ho is a beautifully-balanced horso, and is a regular dandy in respect of Clydesdale character in all its essentials. G*6 by tho celebrated Dunure Footprint

(15203), ho is out of Montrave Remembrance (32284), by the celebrated Hiawatha (10067), which gained the Oawdqr Cup on four successive occasions, and is directly descended from the invincible Moss Rose. Next to him was..placed Mr George A. Ferguson's great massive horse Ardendale (18993) from Surradale, He has a grand top, beautiful bones, and is perfection at r he ground, while his movement in front and Dehind is all that one could desire. Got by the doublo champion Bonnie Buchlyvie (14032), ho is out of the noted mare But© Lily (27479), by Montrave Ronald (11121). Mr James Gray, Birkenwood, Gargunnoch, Stirlingshire, was third with Botha (19026), which, like Ardendale, is three years and 10 months old. Botha was unbeaten as a yearling, and has developed into a great draught horse. Most _ important of all, he is breeding well. Sired by the £9500 Baron of Buchlyvie (11263) he is out of the successful matron Darrel (21360), by Sjlvander (10933). There was perhaps no better horse on the ground than tho animal placed fourth—Hiawatha Again (18765), owned by Mrs James Kiiuooh, Ardooh

Farm, Cardross, Dumbartonshire, and now almost six years old. Pie is splendidly bred, being by the great Hiawatha- out of the capital mare Jean White II (21450) by the successful draught sire Prince of Erskine (9547). Twelve months ago he had hard lines in being placed second, and he is as good to-day as ever he was. No Clydesdale in the show could surpass him for weight, flatness of bone, feet or true close movement. He is breeding exceedingly well, and is so popular that he has been hired in the beßt districts in Scotland for the next three seasons at extreme rates. Mr John Samson, Drumcross, Bishopton, was fifth with Drumcross Radient (18323), a former Cawdor Cup and Brydon Shield winner, and a right good mover. He is the true stamp of a draught sire, and no mistake. Got by Apukwa (14567), the most successful of the sons of Hiawatha, he is out of Bosette (21770) by the prize' stallion Royal Edward (11459). The big weighty horse Drexel (16548), aged nine years, and now owned by Mr William Kerr, Old Graitney, Gretna, was sixth. He is a son of the Cawdor Cup champion Revelanta (11876) out of Queen of the Meadow (21540), by Labori (10791), the first winner of the Brydon Shield. Drexel was the highest-priced horse at the Montgomery sale a year ago. Another Cawdor Cup winner was placed seventh. This was Mr John Pollock's Royal Fern (18078), from Byres Farm, Pollockshaws, Glasgow. He Is by Bonnie Buchlyvie out of Silver Fern (21796), by the well-known Silver Cup (11184). One of the most notable horses at the show was the great breeding stallion Montrave Mao (9958), now almost 26 years old. He is remarkably fresh and active for his years. Bred, at Motrave_ by Sir John Gilmour, he is by the ohampion Macgregor (1487) out of Montrave Maud, by the Merry ton Prince of Wales (673), his granddam being the great Moss Rose. Mac is a real marvel. There was a capital. entry of 36 horses coming *-hree years old. Many of them were well-grown, stylish, quality horses and the short leet of a dozen formed as fine a group as has been seen at Scotstoun in recent years. The premier position was assigned to Dunure Obligation (19426), owned by Mr John Johnston, Carbrook Mains, Larbert. This is_ a great massive black horse with grey hairs through his coat. He is a son of Dunure Footprint out of Nancy Blacon of Donra (24466), by the noted breeding stallion Pride of_ Blacon (10837). This great colt has maintained bis position in the prize-ring, having been first in 1917 and first in 1918. Splendidly balanced in every nart of his frame, ho is particularly good at the ground and moves to perfection. Mr James Gray, Birkenwood, was second with Birkenwood (19350), an ideal draught horse, bred by the exhibitor. He is by Dunure Birkenwood (18327), also bred by Mr Gray, and a colt which was all but unbeaten ai a yearling, but, unfortunately for the breed, he died when a two-year-old. The dam of Birkenwood is the prize mare Molly of Birkenwood (41028), by Bonnie Buchlyvie. This horse is a fine example of the careful blending of the blood of Hiawatha and Baron's Pride. Mr George Bean, Wester Ballochy, Montrose, was third with Royal Footprint _ (19539), a beautiful bay of his own breeding, got by Dunure Footprint out of Queen's Baroness (34832), by Baron's Pride. This is a grandly-ribbed colt, which was first at the Royal Northern Show at Aberdeen last year. The fourth award went to Mr JohnM'Kean, Lumloch, for Odin (19513). by his own stud horse Dunure Stephen (17875) out of Bunty (41180), by Kinleitb Pride. This is a thick colt with the best of bones and a capital mover. Mr W. T. Malcolm. Dunmore, Larbert, was fifth with a get of Dunure Footprint out of Dunmore Ch.ristobel (41497), by the noted Roval Favourite (10630): and Mr Robert Todd, Newark, Glassford, was sixth with Scottish Prestige (19856), bv Balcairn's Fortune (17078) out. of Bess of Allandale (32578) by Allandale (12418).

The two-year-old class of colts had 23 entries This was one of the best lots of animals of the age seen at Glasgow for a number of years. There was any amount of size in combination with first-rate quality. Tho two judges could not agree about the placing of the first two colts—Rising Star (19836), a son of Footprint out of Wells Mayflower (44057), by Star o' Doon (16103), owned by Mr Thomas Clark, Pitlandie, Stanley, Perthshire', and Passchendaele (19815), a great black colt owned by Mr George A. Ferguson, and got by that gentleman's horse Phillipine (18044) out of Celia (43282), by Dunure Footprint. Both are colts with lots of size and quality. Rising Star was eventually placed first by the umpire. Border Ensign, which was awarded the Glasgow premium, was placed third. The fourth award went to Mr James Hamilton, Dunduff, Ayr, for Dunure Umpire (19711), a handsome black colt by Dunure Footprint out of a mare by Baron s Pride. As in the former class, the yearlings numbered 23. Mr James Gray was put up top right away with a perfect model of a young Clydesdale in Risque. In this case the sire of the winner was tho owner's stud horse Apukwa, and the colt has for dam Molly of Birkenwood, being the same mother as produced the three-year-old Birkenwood. This is a great colt with extremely fine bone and plenty of it. Mr John Johnston, Oarbrook Mains, was second and third with a couple of colts by Dunure Footprint. The seoond was out of the fine breeding mare Emmeline (36276) by the champion Mar cellus (11110), and the third one was out of Mary Howitt (38760) by Bonnie Buchlyvie. In both cases these colts came* from mares which belong to noted breeding families. The third one has been bought by a gentleman from the United States of America. Mr James Gray was fourth with Alacrity, another of the sons of Apukwa out of a Baron's Pride mother. He is a right good one, and will be further up yet. _ _ There was not much trouble in deciding the championship. Having already won the Cawdor Cup Dunure Refiner could not compete for it again. The trophy was awarded to Mr George A. Ferguson for his great horse A.-dendale, second in the aged class, with Dunure Obligation reserve. Refiner was awarded the Brydon Shield with Ardendale reserve, and thus became the supreme ohampion of the show. The Scottis Stallion Show of 1919 will always be remembered as one of the finest in the history or the breed of Clydesdales. THE MACNEILAGE TESTIMONIAL.

Fully a year ago Mr Archibald MacNeilage was prostrated by a severe illness, and on his recovery a number of his friends in the Home Land conceived the idea of welcoming him back to the performance of his publio duties by presenting him with some tangible token of the esteem in which, he is held by agriculturists, in general. A committee was duly appointed, and from the beginning the movement met with complete success. Mr MacNeilage had had a wonderful career, and has been associated with every great agricultural enterprise during the past three decades at least. In addition to being secretary of the Clydesdale Horse Society of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, he has acted for 30 odd years as secretary of the West of Scotland Agricultural Discussion Society, an organisation which has had an immense influence in shaping public opinion; he has done excellent work as a director of the Scottish Chamber of Agriculture, and as a member of the Highland and Agricultural Society; and, perhaps most important of all, he has achieved unqualified success as editor and manager of the Scottish Farmer, now recognised as the most influential agricultural newspaper in the United Kingdom. On Wednesday, sth March, the huge ballroom of the Grosvenor Restaurant" in Glasgow, . was crowded with an assembly of ladies and gentlemen representative of every branch of agricultural enterprise. Mr William Strange, of The Peel, Bushy, chairman of directors of the Grasgow Agricultural Society, presided, and made the presentation which consisted of a silver salver and a cheque for £2OOO. The inscription on the salver was as follows: —"Presented to Archibald MacNeilage, Esq., along with a cheque for £2OOO. in appreciation of his worth as a man and in recognition of the valuable services he has rendered to agriculture.—March 5, 1919." The reply by Mr MacNeilage was in general of a reminiscent character. He said at once that the testimonial fairly staggered him. It was, he remarked, in May, 1878, that he entered the service of the Clydesdale Horse Society. That organisation had been founded in June of the previous year. Of the seven gentlemen who subscribed the original memorandum of association none survived. Of those who were members of the council when he entered the services of the society, the only two survivors, so far as he knew, were Messrs John M. Martin and John Clay, the former now residing in retirement in London and the latter, who was the youngest member of the council, now for many years well known as one ofthe cattle kings of America. It was, he said,, characteristic of the changed times that while the council now consisted almost exclusively of tenant farmers, on the first council there were not more than one-third tenant farmers, the others being landlords, factors, or those engaged in business with whom stock-breeding was a hobby. FROZEN PRODUCE. ALLOCATION FOR HAWKE'S BAT. WELLINGTON. May 6. The Hon. Mr Guthrie has been advised by the Overseas Shipping Committee that space for 17,000 freight carcases, will be allocated to the. Hawke's Bay district in the Raranga. FRUITGROWERS' GRIEVANCES. DEALING WITH BLACK SPOT. RAILWAY DEPARTMENT'S DELINQUENCIES. AUCKLAND, May 7. The policy of the Agricultural Department in regard to black spot in fruit was freely criticised at a meeting of the Auckland fruitgrowers to-day. It was stated that no consideration had been shown to growers because of abnormal circumstances, such as the outbreak of an epidemic during the spraying season and the very high advance in the oost of material. The opinion Was expressed that it was practicallv impossible to eliminate the pest. When weather and other conditions were favourable it could bo got under, but in the following season, when circumstances were unfavourable, the fruit was in a worse state than ever. The opinion was also expressed that fruit should iiot be condemned when the proportion of spotted fruit was below a reasonable standard. It was also re-

solved to ask the Railway Department to endeavour to improve its methods of handling and carrying fruit.