THE WINTON PLOUGHING MATCH.

Southland Times, Issue 2482, 22 July 1876, Page 2

THE WINTON PLOUGHING MATCH.

The annual ploughing match held under the patronage of the Winton and Forest Hill Farmers' Club, took place on Friday, the 21at instant, in a paddock belonging to Mr William Keith, at a distance of about four miles from the town of Winton. The annual matches. of the Winton and Forest Hill Farmers' Club have deservedly become events to which all the r inhabitants of those important diatricts> look forward with much interest. Thii is as it should be, for we hold that such friendly contests as ploughing matches and produce and grain shows are not only the necessary complements to, but very powerful promoters of. agricultural advancement. All sensi^R) farmers know this, and encourager^ciiose useful exhibitions accordingly, and as4,he_Jar--' mers of Winton and Forest Hill may, beyond doubt, be included iv the category of the sensible, the; as a matter of course have spared no pains in bringing agricultural competition to its present popularity amongst them. Perhaps this result is more due, however, to the exertions of a few prominent and patriotic settlers, than to cordial co-operation on the part Of the many, who none the less become participators in the beneficial outcome of such judicious action. With regard to the surroundings of the event under review, it may be stated that the contesting ground was a lea paddock near the railway, and that it would hare been scarcely possible to have found in the district a bit of land better suited for the purpose of a ploughing match, the soil being rich, level, free from atones, and "as sweet as butter." There were not many spectators on the ground, and this fact is accounted for by two very powerful opposing circumstances, namely, there was no special train laid on from town, and the weather was exceedingly wet. The want of the special train is attributable to an inadvertence on the part of the Committee, and the wet, we presume, to the perversity of that venerable personage, the Clerk of the Weather. It rained in the early morning, and, with the exception of a brief period during the forenoon, it was showering all day. This made things anything but pleasant, particularly for such unfortunate individuals as had no personal interest in the ploughing. Mr Devereux had a booth on the ground, but it afforded slight shelter from the rain, and the only other " shieling," an old house, was monopolised by youths, all ot whom were rowdy, and several drunk. These " congenial fellows " amused themselves by tearing down the partitions and frolicking in a general way, to the great discomfort and annoyance of quiet people. Ploughing began at a quarter to ten o'clock, and, everything considered, there was really a first-rate turn-out, namely, thirteen competitors— eight in the doublefurrow, three in the »single-furrow, and two in. the treble-furrow division. The quality, condition, and general style of the teams as a whole were indicative of a prosperous and progressive agricultural district, and the merest stranger who happened to visit the field must have come to this conclusion. The ploughing was good throughout, but the prize list which is appended will show what the judges thought of it— the best criterion. The quantity of land allotted to each single-furrow was a quarter of an acre ; double-furrow, half an acre ; and to each treble-furrow plough a little more than three-quarters of an acre. The last finish was made by 2 o'clock. PRIZE LIST.— PLOUGHING-. Judges — Messrs Morton (Wallacetown), Sutton (G-arryowen), and Kerr (Forest Hill). SINGLE-I'URBOW PIOtTCHS, First prize, E. Bunton — maker, Ponton— £4. Second ditto, Walter Gray — same maker— £2. DOTTBLE-FTOROWS. First prize, David Thomson (Thomson and Sous), £5. Sacond ditto, W. Thomson (Thomson and Sons), £2. Third ditto, W. Tajbr (owner), £1. TBEBLEtfUBEOWS. Firat prize, Jame3 Thomson (Thomson and Sons), £6. Second ditto, Arthur Brebner (owner, Alex. G-errard), £4. SPECIAX SOBJBCT3. Judges — Mea3rs Forrester (Castle Book), Noble (Limestone Plains), and Wilson (ftyal Bush). .Best team of three horses, Messrs Thorneon and Sons, Best pair horses — owner, P. Tnomson ; p'ouirhman, Jas. Brass — £1. Best harnjss — jivner, P. Thomson j ploughman, Jas. Brass, £L. Best groomed horses, J. Cameron, ploughman to J. and J. Shand, £l. Steadiest going tjam, 10s, given by ife3sri Shand, J. Henderson, ploughman to Walter Henderson. Best ins and outs, 10s, given by Mr J, Lampert, J, Cameron. Youngest ploughman on the fiald, W. Thomson, £1. Honorable mention (<loubl» furrow), W. CkarteM, ploughman to *Mr Gh Crosbio, Best break, W. Grey. Best finißh, R. Bunton. In connection with the special subjects we may remark that a chest of tea offered by Messrs Thomson and Beattie for the ploughman with the largest family was awarded to Richard Bunton. The ladies of Winton gave a purse of sovereigns to be awarded to the best looking ploughman on the field, but as none of the fair sex were present the award was withheld till a fitting opportunity of making it should occur. A protest was entered against the winner of the first prize in the double furrow class, on the ground that jie changed his horses before fiuiahiug. TiR» protest was not decided when our reporter left. ;., In concluding our report we cannofc refrain from expressing our opinion on , the admirable manner in w^fch Joha Henderson, quite a young vp&n, did his work with a double furrow plbughma'de by Messrs Lampert and Wilson of Wiuton. A dinner in connection with, the match was held in Devereux's Hotel in the evening, but our report of it is necessarily held over in tho meantime.