WITWATERSRAND SHOW.

Otago Witness, Issue 3768, 1 June 1926, Page 13

WITWATERSRAND SHOW.

SALES OF CATTLE. (F.rom Oob Own Correspondent.) PIETERMARITZBURG, April 8. The twentieth annual exhibition of the Witwatersrand Agricultural Society was opened in Milner Park, Johannesburg, on Wednesday, March 31, by General Kemp, Minister of Agriculture. The show was a record in many respects. It was the biggest show ever held by the society, and easily the best. The entries in various competitions totalled 3114, as against 2819 in 1925, and 2656 in 1924. The cattle section totalled 1199 entries, compared with 951 last year, and 788 in 1924. The predominating breeds of a wonderful section were Friesians and Ayrshires. The show was attended by 102 British farmers, now touring in South Africa, and some of them acted as judges. The climatic conditions were perfect, and the attendance for the five days was a record —namely, 98,955— although the globular 100,000 was longed for by the show authorities, • The remarkable feature of the cattle section has been the vast improvement in the youru/ stock. Another feature oecassioning some surprise ha 9 been the number of unexpected decisions in the cattle awards. The supreme ground championship of the show has been won bv Messrs Drysdale and Watson’s Ayrshire bull, Hobsland Light Brigade, which was the grand champion of the dairy class. The reserve supreme grand champion was Mrs D. M Teunro’s shorthorn cow. Bashful Bet, which was grand champion of the beef class. In the latter class the reserve was Mr Meeser s Friesland Karal VIII, which was also re#3rve in the dairy breeds. Sir Abe Bailey’s Twyford Edgar, Hereford, was reserve in tne beef breeds. Herefords was the strongest class of the beef breeds; the Sussx, while strong, was not much greater numerically than last vear. At the Rand Show sales on Saturday, April 3, there was an unexpectedly brisk demand for Frieslands. The competition was the best witnessed in the Union for some time past.. Huge prices are, of course, a dream of the past, and beeders are satisfied with the figures which rule to-day, and which permit of a profit, though not a large one. In addition to the herd of the Golden Valley Citrus Estates, 28 bulls from different breeders sold at an average of £s§ 10s. The top price was £l6O, paid by Mr A. Usher, for the Nel’s Rust bull Lucas Meyer 11. sent by Mr D S. Gradwell. Other prices were £lls and £125. Thirty-six cows and heifers were also sold, at an average nrice of £46; the top figure being £BS. Altogether 51 bulls and 132 female Frieslands were sold for £9287, the more than excellent overage for the bulls being £57 and for the females £4B. Three Ayrshire3 were sold for £l7 10s 6d. £3O. and £4O; two Shorthorn bu'ls at £lO and £22 10s each. Ten Angus bulls sold at an average of £32. the top figure beina £55; and one cow at £ls. One Devon went for £3O. and three Galloways at £25 each.

A big crowd of buyers and spectators in the sale pavilion met the appearance of Messrs John Roderick and Co., the auctioneers. who disposed of the Golden Val ley Frieslands, which until recently were the foremost South African herd. The herd was sold in 119 lots including calves. 90 females and 23 bulls. The total of tb’ sale was £5924. The females made the quite excellent average of just over £4B. and the bulls £53. Tlio highest price was paid by Mr Williamson £2OO, for the six-year-old Jonge Pekus. who was Grand Champion of Johannesburg in 1923. and champion of Johannesburg in 1922 and 1925. A three-year-old, Klandskuil Alidi Tromps Herman, fetched £l2O. The only other bull to roach the century was the yearling Mnrlenß Herman IV. Mr O. J. Olivier paid £209 for Harlens ltieks Thebe, six-year-old cow, which was the champion of the Natal Royal in 1824-25, and also of Johannesburg in 1025. Harlens Ricks 11.. calved in July, 1025, fetched £150; and Garlens Stennle, approaching six years old, made £IOO. Lower prices, but a big demand, met the big entry of Herefords at the pedigree sale. Twenty-nine bulls were sold at an average of £37 10s, three figures being reached in one instance only. Thirty-three cows and heifers sold at an average of £lB, the highest amount being £25. Three beef shorthorn bulls sold at £35, £42 10s, and £l7 10s; nnd three females at £22 10s, £25, and £45. Three South Devon bulls changed hands at £27 and £2O twice. Sussex was a poplar breed, and 22 bulls sold at on average of £OO. Only one realised three figures, that being Mr Orford’g two-year-old Rosworth Treasure, son of Lock Prince, which twice won the championship, and sired 76 per cent, of the winning Sussex animals at the Rand

Show last year. For this animal Dr Lourcntz paid £2BO. Five Sussex cows were sold at from £l7 10s to £75. The grand total of the sale was £13,365.