WARM PRAISE BY JUDGES

Southland Times, Issue 23677, 28 November 1938, Page 8

WARM PRAISE BY JUDGES

BIG SECTION OF LIGHT HORSES FAVOURABLE COMMENT ON EXHIBITS The judges were warm in their praise of the high standard of the exhibits. Only in a few instances was criticism or helpful advice offered for the improvement of the show. The Clydesdale and cattle judges commented that more numerous entries would have made the sections more interesting, but in sheep and light horses there was no lack of competition and the judges found much to commend in the classes. HORSES Although the Clydesdale section did not attract many entries, the quality of the exhibits was particularly good. The male section was headed by the well-known imported horse Netherton Mac, which its new owner, Mr G. Wisely, produced in first-class condition. The award of the championship to this horse was a foregone conclusion, but in less distinguished company, Mr J. Martin’s Overdale Viceroy might easily have secured the championship, being a horse of good size with fine breeding qualities. The female classes attracted no aged horses, but there were fair entries in the filly classes. The yearling class was particularly strong. The female championship went to Mr J. A. Lindsay’s three-year-old filly, a particularly promising type of breed-

ing mare. The judge of the light horses had a busy morning and afternoon. The entry of thoroughbreds and trotting horses was not big, but included some very attractive specimens, particularly among the young horses of which there were more numerous entries. Coming to the roadsters he was confronted by numerous exhibits with classes of up to 10 horses. The hacks were particularly attractive, the winners being among the best horses seen in Southland showrings for some years. The cobs were also pleasing. The ponies attracted much interest and included several horses of attractive appearance and action. CATTLE Mr J. J. Blakie was the only exhibitor in the Ayrshire section and al- , though he faced no competition his display was an attractive one with the cattle in great condition. His champion cow, selected from among the mature cows, was of particularly good type with fine udder development. Only one bull was shown, this being a very attractive yearling which the judge considered fully merited the award of a champion ribbon. x The Friesian section was again the strongest of the cattle sections with a good entry in most classes and fair competition. The quality was surprisingly good for a district show and the exhibits were brought forward, in fine condition, particularly the entries of Mr James Brown, who secured most of the principal awards and the championships with outstanding cattle. The champion cow was Newark Lady Royalist, who has twice won the championship at Invercargill. She was shown in excellent condition and showed, her outstanding type and milking qualities. The champion bull was Ahikouka .'Ormsby Royal, a fine type of bull showing great depth of body. The bulls were a particularly attractive lot, the senior yearling winner being outstanding. . , , , In the Jersey section the two local breeders, James Pullar and Sons, and Mr J. G. North, were the chief competitors, but their exhibits were typical animals and of very attractive quality. J. Pullar and Sons secured the female championship with a fine mature cow, Tokorangi Aletta, which was warmly praised by the judge. The heifer classes included some very promising young cattle. The hull championship was won by Mr J. C. Norman’s Kyledale Red Chief, a young bull of very good type with great development and excellent ring manners. The Milking Shorthorn entry consisted of only one cow, a cow of good type exhibited by Mr J. Mcllwrick. There was a fair entry of crossbred cattle of good dairy type. Some attractive calves were shown in the special classes for members of the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs, the calves being well reared and in attractive condition. SHEEP Southland was once the home of the Border Leicester breed, but it has been steadily going out of favour in recent years. Competition on Saturday was confined to three or four breeders, something very different from what was the case at shows 10 years ago. The judge expressed disappointment at the smallness of the entries, but said the quality was there. The judge of the Romney Marsh section commented favourably on the exhibits. Although there were only two entrants in the class for ewes with lambs at foot, the standard was high and both were outstanding exhibits with only a small margin between them. The champion ewe was carrying a dense fleece. The natural-condition hoggets formed a strong class. The winning pen of both the singles and pairs were outstanding sheep. Only two competitors produced Ryelands, their exhibits being typical examples of the breed. There was also a limited entry of Shropshires, several of the sheep being described as being of great size and showing excellent constitution. The Southdown section was one of the most prominent breeds in rhe show, there being keen competition among several of the leading breeders in the province. The sheep were very even

and of outstanding quality. The Southland Frozen Meat Company secured the championships with beautiful examples of the breed. The hoggets were very attractive and gave promise of developing into outstanding sheep. The English Leicester section attracted a small entry. The sheep were very typical, the breeders having maintained the standard well in spite of the temporary eclipse which the breed is experiencing at the present time. The quality in the fat sheep section was good, although the entries were not numerous. S. and R. Evans (Longbush) were the main exhibitors. In the class for three fat ewes, any age, the first prize entry was of good quality. It was not as even as it should be, but was quite a serviceable sheep. The second prize exhibit was made up of good, even sheep, but they were not of the same quality as the winning entry. The fat lamb section was outstanding —one that, in the opinion of the judge, would be a credit to any show and was, in any case, far ahead of that at the Christchurch show The winning exhibits were of excellent quality and evenness and were ideal for the export trade. The second pen in the Winton fat lamb championship was one of splendid lambs. They were not quite up to the quality of the prize-winners, but were good iambs for the export trade. The third and fourth prizewinners were also good lambs and would probably merit higher placings in many shojvs. Altogether, the exhibit was one of the best that has been seen in Southland for a long time. DAIRY PRODUCE Disappointment that the entries in the dairy produce section were not bigger, was expressed by the judge, who said the section was worthy of more support in both butter and cheese classes. The cheese entries were of good quality, and there was also some choice butter exhibited. Competition

was particularly keen and those who were not placed might have been unfortunate in the high standard and closeness of the exhibits. BAKING The increasing use of electricity in the country for cooking has probably been responsible for much of the improvement in baking which the judge had noticed on the five occasions on which she had judged at Winton. She stated that there had been a definite improvement in the baking of sponges in recent years; and those on display on Saturday were, along with the light madeira and seed cakes, of a very high standard. The judge was well pleased with the increase in entries, the total being the most she had seen at Winton. The amateur section was well supported.