NORTH ISLAND SHOWS

Otago Witness, Issue 3443, 9 March 1920, Page 13

NORTH ISLAND SHOWS

(Fkom Our Own Correspondent.) During the past week farmers and those engaged in. agricultural pursuits have been busy with their shows. Only a few years ago the majority of shows were held in October or November, but the exigencies of the dairy industry took too much toll of tim©, and interest began to flag. Attention .was then directed to autumn time, when the rural dweller had more tim© at his disposal for agricultural associations' activities; so w© now find that the majority of these annual exhibitions are being held in the autumn. Last week there was quite a big crop NORTHERN WAIROA. The Northern Wairoa A. and P. Association s held its twenty-eighth Show at Arapohue on Saturday, and it was quite up to pre-war days, if not better. Some of the entries in dairy stock and horses would bo hard to beat in any part of the Dominion. Mr-Alt. E. Harding maintained the high reputation he possesses for careful and scientific breeding, and both in the cattle and-horse classes in which he entered his exhibits secured th© main awards. Mr W. Dalbeth won the cow championship. The -> special cup, valued at 12gs, for most points in the Romney classes was won by Mr J. S. Wilson A special prize of £2 2s for most exhibits in tho produce classes was won by Mr J. B. Fischer, of Mititai. • MARTON. The eighth a»nual Show of Marton A. and P. Association was held 011 Wednesday. The Show on the whole was successful, though the entries did not reach the record stage of last year. Some very fine sheep, particularl/ in the fat section, were exhibited, and several of the cattle; entries wore also good; but the outstanding feature was . the horses. In thoroughbreds, draughts, hacks,' and harness horses the display was particularly good, and suggested immense possibilities for a' West Coast Horse Show at Marton instead, of a mixed show. Rangitikei-Oroua is already well catered for in the matter of cattle and sheep shows by F'eilding and Taihape Shows, and it a good horse exhibition was held annually at a.' central place like Marton it would undoubtedly be a success. More people seem, to be interested in the horse section of the show, including competitions; and I am quite--certain that, if this suggestion were acted upon, the fine horses of Rangjtikei would command much more attention in outside centres. Nevertheless Marton Show was a credit to the district, and the large areas of rape grewn in the district were reflected in the fine condition of the sheep and lambs. The fat cattle, too, commanded great attention, in view of the bigness of the exhibits; and they spoke eloquently of the pastures of the district. WAIKATO. The Cambridge 1 Show has ever since its inception been recognised as a mecca for good horse flesh, particularly in the light sorts, and the district has lost none of its i-epu'tation, for it still remains one of the best horse breeding districts in the North Island. .The strong feature at the 17th annual show, held at Cambridge oh the 2nd and 3rd; inst., was naturally, therefore, the section for horses. Entries came forward from north as far as Helensville, Whangarei, and Dargaville, and as far south as Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa. Over the whole show there was ah increase of over 300 eritfies as compared with last year, each department, with the exception of sheep and pigs, showing an increase. Waikato having assumed premier place as a dairying district, the cattle sections were naturally well filled, Jerseys showing greatest numbers, FriesianS being _ close runners-up. Whilst there is no diminution of Shorthorns in the itself, not quite so many came forward .this year as last, which is probably due snore to the shortage of labour than to any.:.other cause. The whole of the cattle exhibits were of splendid quality. . r.> ■ . Sheep have practically disappeared from the show of recent years owing > to the enormous growth of. dairying which land owners are- finding more profitable than sheep raising. V ; CHAMPIONS AND RESERVES. Champions and reserves were awarded as follows: — Draught.—Entire, W.' Smeed's Imperator; mare, R. Nieholl's Lady Marcellus; reserve champion, W. G. Park's Norah Shepherd. Shorthorns—Bull, W- Taylor's Prince Barrington; cow, A. Kay's Orakau Countess; reserve cow, Ranstead Bros.' entry. _ . Herefords. —Cow, H. Rhodes' Kauri. Milking Shorthorns.—Bull, Rausland Bros.; reserve, J. Fisher. Friesians.— Bull, Jolly Bros.' Holland Queen's Grandson; re-serve bull, Whewell Bros.' Julip MerQ3des of Hawkridge. Jerseys.—Bull, Mears Bros.' Golden Victor; reserve bull, R. Atkinson's Pyramids Prince. Ayrshires— Bull. J. and C. Watt's Glenshire of Eden Park. Lincolns.—Ram, C. J. Storey; ewe, W.: G. Park. m ■ „ Leicesters—Ram and ewe, T. Bellamy. Romney. Marsh. —Ram and ewe, F. R. Seddon. Shropshires.—Ram, R. D. Fisher. TARANAKI. The 45th Annual Show of the Taranaki Metropolitan Agricultural and Pastoral Society was held at the . Waiwakaihi grounds on Wednesday and Thursday, March 3 and 4, and a record show was held. What is an even more satisfactory feature of the show is the fact that not only was there a gratifying increase in entries, but the standard of stock was such that it would hav© compared favourably with the best that can be produced in any part of the Dominion. Cattle.—The Jerseys were by far the largest section in the Show and commanded the admiration of all. Practically every exhibit was in the pink of condition, and the ■judge was very enthusiastic over tho display. The yearling classes were particularly strong, and augured well for the future of Taranaki's dairy industry. In the pedigree section, Mr Frank Ranford's bull "Achievement of Willowbank," which has never been beaten in its class yet, was awarded the championship, Mr A. A. Ward, Tariki, getting reserve champion with "Miss Meadows' Maori Boy." In cows, the championship and also the Jersey Breeders' Association's gold medal, were awarded to

Messrs Wrcnn Bros.' (Hawera) "Queen of Gipsies," and the reserve to Mr Ward's "Miro Meadow's Melba." The champion did not compete at the Hawera Show. An interesting section of the Jersey class was that for calves entered in the First Taranaki Jersey Oaks, in which there were 19 entries, the first award going to F. W. Cornwall's (Bell Bell Mahone." The clas3 for serni-officially tested cows was won by Mr H. O. Sampson's (Hillsborough) "Frisky Rose." . Friesians.—Friesians were also a strong class. Mr H. W. Hoskin (Mangatoki) with "Nazle Foyne Sigis,". defeated the Hawera champion cow "Lady Bountiful Domino," owned by Mr H. Johnston, of Stratford. Mr R. Oastle (Matapu) secured first and champion in the bulls jn this section, his "Holland Queen Son" beating Mr Hoskin's "Mynheer Sigis Galatea. 10th of Racelands." Ayrshires.—This breed was well represented. The championship in the bulls' classes went to Mr W. Hall's (Lepperton) "Dominion Beauty's Bonus," and reserve to the same exhibitor's "Truby." In the cows, Mr Hall was also awarded the championship with "Dewdrop Ist of Brooksido," which beat the Hawera owned cow "Lotus of Waipapa." Shorthorns and Hereford*.—These two breeds are not very popular in Taranaki, and the entry was small in each section— Sheep.—

Sheep did not form a strong feature of the Show, and this can easily be understood in a district almost entirely given over to dairying. Pigs and Horses. —

In pigs, as usual, there was not very heavy competition, though a slight improvement on other years was apparent. Plorses were a good lot, and some fine draughts were shown.- There were also some firstclass entries in the lighter classes and the competitions generally were good. Altogether the Taranaki Show this year ;ranks as one of the bast along the Coast, particularly in regard to dairy cattle.