TIMARU AGRICULTURAL SHOW.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 6052, 31 October 1889, Page 2

TIMARU AGRICULTURAL SHOW.

TWENTY-FOURTH ANNUAL SHOW.

3he following is the completion of yesterday’s show: — LIGHT HORSES. In the roadster and hack • classes the competition was very keenand the judges had no very easy task dividing them. In the aged class, light weights, Mr Hook’s was certainly a most useful animal, and went through the various paces very creditably. ■ The heavy weight class fell to old Guy, a first rate specimen of his class, and. one too that always takes a lot of beating. The ladies’ hacks, “ shown in side saddle and ridden in skirt, ’’ were excellent, but it is quite unsatisfactory to see “ gentlemen ” riders up. Riding with skirt is all very well, but lady riders in the pigskin look the best, and the sooner the society follow the lead of other foremost societies the better the public will be pleased. After ail they go to see the “ display," and the more attractive it is made the better. Certainly Vanish, Mrs George H. Rhodes’favourite hack, would look more handsome with a lady up, than with a lay figure awkwardly clad in a skirt that looks as much out of place as does a purser’s jacket on a marlinepiko. Mrs P. B, Luxmoore once more got the prize for her pair of carriage horses, which, though not by any means first class, are still good and well matched, Mr E. T. Rhodes this year running her very close. In harness horses Mrs and Mr G. H. Rhodes got premier positions, and Mr E. Timaru Rhodes for mare suitable for breeding from for hack purposes. In cobs Mr R. Allen got first with a shapely animal that is always very much admired, and then the ponies and their enthusiastic juvenile riders claimed the attention of the judges. The imported Highland Laddie, ole Waimatc, was the only entire, and as ponies claim much attention just now, we trust to see him meet something worthy of his steel next year. In the 13 hands class, for mare or gelding Master Harry Orbell had the proud position of winning as also did Master Percy Perry, in the 14 hands class, their mounts being very good ones indeed. In harness the ponies were few and competition exceedingly poor.

THE HUNTERS. Considering that liberal prizes are given, the representatives of this class, with twojor three exceptions, were of anything but first flight order.. The jumping was also very poor, with a solitary exception, and with this branch of the show, which should really be the most attractive from a spectator’s point of view, the public were very much disappointed. For one thing the officials were to blame, namely, they should have insisted on the entrants for the solicitors’ guineas going over timber and gorse, not let such a valuable prize bo awarded in the free and easy, rule of thumb manner it was yesterday. In the heavy weights, Mr H. W. Lovegrove’s Lucifer (owner up) was certainly points superior to the others, but the, judges saw fit to ignore him altogether, and awarded the prize to Mr J. 0. Park’s Three Springs (Mr Gordon P. Wood) who distinctly refused the gorse jump, and gave second honours to Mr E. Timaru Rhodes’ The Old Plug (Mr Hook) who made the limber quite musical, and would in all probability have come down in the hands of a less experienced rider. Three Springs also got the prize for the “best” horse that had hunted with any recognised pack of hounds, and the solicitors’ prize for being the “best jumper on the ground! ” Such an award caused surprise, and though we admit that the judges know something about a thoroughbred, a hack or a trotter, we must express the opinion that they are not too well versed in hunters. They might have some excuse for putting Lucifer out of the heavy weight hunters, on the ground, perhaps, of unsoundness, though to our mind we contend they have not, but to put him aside completely as not being the best jumper when hundreds of competent persons saw that he was, they can have no excuse for. In the light weights, luckily, the judges were relieved of any labour, for though Juggler, at the first time of asking, refused the ditch and rails, he got over, while the others Blue Boy, and a mare unnamed, and Faugh-a-Ballagh, could not get over the course.

PIGS. The pigs made so poor a show in numbers that one was tempted to pass them by altogether, but this would not be doing justice to the stamp of the few there were. A sow and litter shown by Mr Elackmore, and three porkers shown by Mrs Luxmoore were samples of Borkshires that could well serve as a high class standard for comparison. The only other exhibit was not so good. SHEEP DOGS. An appropriate feature of a show whose chief merit was a collection of sheep, was a section for colleys, and this section was fairly well occupied by a score of dogs over whose beauties and fine points the typical shepherd could discourse by the hour. A good even lot they were in each class of rough and smooth, and the judges took quite a long time in comparing them for the places of honour. The rough-haired colleys were most numerous, and the prize-winners turned up iajmmediate descendants of an imported pair.

PRIZE LIST,

Huntees—Heavy weight hunter, to carry

14st. (6—5), J 0 Park, Three Springs 1, ET Rhodes, The Old Plug 2. Best horse that has bunted with any recognised pack, special prize £5 5s (3 —3), J C Park, Three Springs 1. Light weight hunter, to carry list 71b, (5—5), Robert Balfour, Juggler 1. Best jumper, Soiicitars’ prize of £5 5s (6 —7), J 0 Park, Three Springs 1. PRIVATE AND SPECIAL PRIZES. Mr A. M. Clark’s-prize of £5 5s for most points in merino sheep, fine combing.— Henry Hoare. Mr A. M. Clark’s prize of £5 6s for most points in merino sheep, strong combing.— A, A. and R. McMaster. New Zealand Insurance Company’s silver cup, value £5 ss, for most points in all classes of sheep.- -A. A. and R. McMaster. Mr A. B. Smith’s prize of £3 10s for tho| largest prizetaker in classes of merino sheep A. A. and B. McMaster.

Mr B. T. Rhodes’ prize of £lO 10a for most points in draught horses.—Jaa. Austin. Mr B. T. Rhodes’ prizes for the beat yearling colt or filly by the trotting stallion “ Berlin,” £7 7s, and £3 3s.—First H. Jackson, second, W. J. Black. Mr Michael Connolly’s prize of £5 for the best yearling colt or filly by the thoroughbred horse “ Hanlon.”—No entry. Mr R. Ferguson’s prize of a £2 2s silver medal, for the best thoroughbred entire.— Mr J. King’s “ Quamby.” Canterbury Farmer’s Co-operative Association’s prizes, to be competed for by South Canterbury settlers only.—£L Is for the best Berkshire boar. —T. I angdon ; £1 Is for the best Berkshire sow—J. Blaekmoro ;£3 3s for the best jar of potted butter, suitable for export.—Mrs Frew ; £3 3s for the best farmer’s made cheese. —A. S. McLean.

Messrs J. Hurst and Sons’ prize, value £3 3s, consisting of a variety of seeds, to the largest prizetaker in agricultural produce—®. Holland.

Messrs G. and T. Young’s trophy, value £1 10s, for the second largest prizetaker in agricultural produce—M. Slack. Mr 0. G. Tripp’s prize of £2 2s for the best implement for grubbing up turnip shells —No entry. Mr J. Ballantyne’s prizes of one and half guineas[for cadi of the following classes.—(l) Best ton crossbred wetbers, A. M. Clark ; (2) Best five fat lambs—J. Fitzgerald. Mr W. MoKibbon’s prize of £2 for the best 3-year-old hackney stallion—L. Laurenson.

Association’s £5 5s for most points in English Leicester—J. Bonifant j £5 5s for most points in Border Leicesters —Little Bros. 5 £5 5s for most points in Lincoln sheep—Bruce and McLaren j £3 3s for most points in Romney Marsh sheep—N.Z.L, and A. Coy, Levels. |

Messrs Aspinall and Go’s prizes 1001 b bag of flour for the best fresh and best powdered butter —Mrs B. Davie. THE LUNCHEON. At 1.30 about 100 gentlemen eat down to luncheon, many visitors being present from Dunedin, Oamaru, Ashburton, and Christchurch. Mr A. M. Clark, the worthy and energetic president of the society, occupied the chair, and Mr E. Timaru Rhodes the vicechair. After doing justice to the loyal toasts, the chairman proposed that of the " general assembly," to which Mr Arthur E, G, Rhodes ably replied. The chairman in proposing “The exhibitors " dwelt on the fact that the freezing trade called for the growing of sheep with plenty of lean on them, not with so much “ tallow,” that they were commonly-ac-customed to see. Mr McMaster and other gentlemen replied, and the toast of the judges, visitors and others followed, speeches and replies being brief and to the point.