DAIRY CATTLE ON PARADE

Southland Times, Issue 23998, 13 December 1939, Page 13

DAIRY CATTLE ON PARADE

Keen Competition In

All Classes

LARGE ENTRIES OF JERSEYS The cream of the dairy cattle of New Zealand was lined up before the judges yesterday. Beef cattle were not strongly represented but what was shown was of extra good quality and the judges were enthusiastic about the possibilities of the breeds in Southland. A striking feature was the extraordinarily large entry of Jersey cattle, this showing the wonderful progress made by this breed in the last 20 years. Up till that time it was thought that the Jersey breed would not stand up to the bracing Southland climate but yesterday's entry entirely disposed of those fears.

Friesians as usual played a prominent part in the show, and their sleek appearance was the cause of much interest in the judging rings. In all classes the standard generally was well up to that of Royal Shows and in some it was claimed for the champions that they would be hard to beat in'any show ring.

BEEF SHORTHORNS That the Beef Shorthorns shown would be difficult to beat in any show ring in New Zealand or Australia was the opinion of Mr F. Donovan (Hawke’s Bay), judge of the section. Mr Donovan is a veteran breeder who has judged at Sydney, Brisbane and Toowoomba and his opinion is a valuable one. ■

He said that Southland should be able to work up a good trade in chilled beef as long as it adhered to the modern type of Beef Shorthorns similar to those exhibited at the Royal Show. In that type the breeder secured the best producer of chilled beef in the world—a type which was short-legged, full of quality and with meat from the horn to the hoof. Argentine was the greatest beef-producing country in the world and 75 per cent, of its production of cattle was the Shorthorn. It was a pleasure he said, to have paraded before him some of the finest Shorthorns he had seen for years. In quality and in numbers they were outstanding and a real credit to Southland and to the Centennial Royal Show. The championship was won by a bull produced by W. and F. Mcßride (South Canterbury), Gladstone Stamp Second, a three-year-old of excellent substance and quality, and well fitted to go into any show ring and have an excellent chance of success. The reserve championship was won by James S. Anderson’s (Waimatuku) Bushy Park Officer Commanding, a three-year-old with much good quality. The champion cow, Thongsleigh Buttercup 28th, exhibited by J. C. Chamberlain (Ellesmere) has an excellent record. She has retained her quality, condition and bloom in a remarkable manner and still is outstanding as a show and utility cow. The reserve championship was won by J. S. Anderson’s Tunima Flower Second. The yearling classes were a very good lot and the two-year-olds also were of a high standard.

MILKING SHORTHORNS Cows made up the strongest section of the Milking Shorthorns 'in which Otago and Canterbury breeders were well represented. The Southland entries also were good and the result was excellent competition. A cow in the aged class which had been entered by a northern breeder was considered to be the outstanding exhibit in the class, but it was rejected by the judge (Mr W. J. Slack, Palmerston North) because of soreness and the tucked-up condition of its body caused by the long train journey. Apart from these blemishes this animal must have been difficult to beat; it had an almost perfect udder and showed great constitution. The best class was that for three-year-old heifers; the champion cow, G. G. Goodwin’s (Rangiora) Greenvale Buttercup Fancy came from that class. This animal had a splendid top line, good vessel, fine balance and good carriage. It also won the Milking Shorthorn Association’s Cup for type and production. The two-year-qld heifers proved a strong class, the winrier showing much promise. In the yearling heifer section the best types were found in the junior section, which was won by G. G. Goodwin’s Greenvale Buttercup Grateful. This heifer won the Fitzhugh Challenge Cup for the best yearling, either senior or junior.

An aged bull, D. Murphy and Sons’ (Glencoe) Hollies General II won the championship. He is rising 13 years and he has won many championships. This bull also showed his qualifications as a sire by winning the class for bull and two of his progeny. The reserve champion bull, F. G. Herridge’s (Woodend, Canterbury) Millbrook Duke of Dee, ran the champion a close second. RED_POLL The strength and evenness of the classes was the feature of the Red Poll section. The breed was well represented and the judge had much difficulty in separating the exhibits in several of the classes. In the aged cow class particularlj' was there strong competition. The champion cow, O. A. and P. Garrett’s (Invercargill) Gray Tui, would hold its own anywhere in the world, declared the judge (Mr E. F. Cousins). Outstanding points about this cow were its fine level back and good-shaped udder. There was little between the cows in the class.

Competition in the class for aged bulls from which the champion was selected, was also very keen. The champion, Otahuna Flashness, was pro-

duced by G. S. Young (West Plains) who has done very well with this type and gained several successes in the class.

The reserve champion was a two-year-old bull bred in England by Lady Dormay, of Balcombe Estate. It was shown by J. S. Pike (New Plymouth) and was named Balcombe Chimpanzee. It is pleasing to see an imported bull taking such a prominent part, particularly as the restrictions on importations have had the effect of curtailing opportunities. The reserve champion cow, Otahuna Mollie second, was bred and shown by the Hon. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes. Like the champion it was of excellent quality and little behind the champion. Sir Heaton gained most success in the heifer classes.

FRIESIAN Once again the Friesians were forward in big numbers and competition in all classes was keen. Both the champion and the reserve champion bull were found in the aged class for which there were seven entries from Canterbury, Otago and Southland., It was an excellent class, the two leading bulls being models of the breed, according to the judge, Mr H. E. Johnson (Hawera). The winner was A. and J. Rainey’s (Kaiapoi) Hanley Prince Echo Milkmaid, brey by G. H. Hassall, and the reserve champion was James Brown’s (Waianiwa) Ahikouka Ormsby Royal, bred by O. A. Cadwallader. Both animals were shown in first-class condition. Indeed the reserve champion was carrying just a little too much condition. The classes as a whole was good but several the unplaced animals were insufficiently sprung in the ribs. In the classes for young bulls the winners were outstanding types. In one or two sections there was a slight tail, the main fault being a flatness in the ribs.

1116 champion bull won at a previous Royal show, and it is considered to be a splendid sire which should bp able to pass on his good qualities to his progeny. The whole of the cow classes was commendable. The championship was won by an aged cow which although 11 years old had a good udder which showed no signs of breaking down. It had great dairy quality. It was J. J. Stott’s (Oamaru) Willowfield Alcartra Eve, sired by Coldstream Alcartra Segis and got from Hampden Eve.

The class for three-year-old cows was a good one all through, the exhibits showing good quality and character. R. J. Eades’s (Invercargill) Parkview Martha Domino, which won the class was just a little ahead in points from the remainder of the entry. Some excellent quality heifers were exhibited in the two-year-old class, won by James Marshall’s (Kaitangata) Clutha P. Darkie. All of the entries showed much dairy quality. AYRSHIRE An excellent class of Ayrshires, well up to Royal Show standard, was exhibited.

T. S. Muirhead’s (Waimatuku) Ardgowan Favourite Scott had a “walkover” in the bull championship. A welldeveloped three-year-old, this animal was one of the best exhibited at recent Royal Shows and in the opinion of the judge (Mr R. Kirkland, Featherston), it would hold its own anywhere in New Zealand. The champion was outstanding for its great character, beautiful top line and good body. The reserve championship was won by R. S. Weir’s (Seaward Downs) Ivanhoe Victory. R. S. Weir won the cow championship with Allandale Trixie, one of the best cows in New Zealand today. She has great top line and a splendid udder. A two-year-old heifer owned by W. J. Gillies (Hampden) won the reserve championship with Townhead Fannie, an animal which possesses a welldeveloped udder and gives promise of winning many show awards in the future. In the other cow and heifer classes the general rule was for the first three or four cows to show outstanding quality, the remainder falling off in quality, particularly in the standard of udder. The yearling bulls were a good lot and several of them gave promise of winning prizes in the future. The competition was keen among 10 yearlmg bulls; the winner was of outstanding class and quality.

JERSEY Although the quality of the Jersey cattle may not have been equal to that shown at North Island shows it was good. The most pleasing part about the entry was its uniformity. Only in one or two sections could it be said that there was a tailing off of quality after the prize-winners had singled themselves out. Another feature was the excellent competition from breeders from many parts of the South Island. The bull championship was won by W. H. Jakins’s (Christchurch) Keeper’s Marquis, a renowned show animal which has now won the championship at three Royal shows, in 1936, 1938 and 1939. Good as it was, it had a narrow victory over the second placed bull. It was an outstanding bull nevertheless, possessing capacious body bone and as “clean” as could be found anywhere. The second bull (reserve champion), Jersey Glen Starbright, exhibited by Dr A. F. Ritchie Crawford (Otatara), failed slightly in length and had the appearance of being more rounded than required. The champion cow, Marua Elspeth, exhibited by Dr Ritchie Crawford, was an excellently developed animal and one expected by the judge (Mr J. A. Moreland, Cambridge) to perform much better deeds in the future, an opinion generally shared by good judges of Jerseys. It was a remarkably even cow with a very good vessel. The reserve champion, N. Moore’s (Tapanui) Tokorangi Midget, failed to beat the winner only in depth of body; she was a fine type, however. The winning junior yearling heifer, F. E. Martyn’s (Rangiora) Silverlea Alfa, was quite an outstanding exhibit, and one which would hold her own in most show rings. The yearling bulls were good without being outstanding.

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The Vice-President For many years a popular official of the Southland summer show as Press steward, MR J. S. MARSHALL, of Invercargill appeared in a new role yesterday as vice-president of the Southland Association. Mr Marshall has been a director of the Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association for many years and is well known throughout Southland as the Invercar-

gill manager of the National Mortgage and Agency Co. Ltd. Before his appointment to the management of his firm he was senior auctioneer for Southland. Mr Marshall is also well known as a farmer and breeder and is the only breeder in Southland of Lincoln sheep. At the Invercargill wool sale this year he topped the market with Lincoln wool. Young Judge MR J. A. MORELAND, judge of the Jersey cattle, who comes from Cambridge, could probably lay claim to being the youngest judge at the Royal Show. He is a member of the stockbreeding firm of A. Moreland and Sons, whose Beechland Jersey stud has been established for 35 years. At 33 Mr Moreland has judged at several shows but the Invercargill fixture is his first Royal Show. He is one of three brothers all of whom have judged at Royal Shows. His father holds the distinction of being the winner of a gold medal, the first to be awarded to a Jersey exhibit in New Zealand. He won it at the Auckland show in 1908. Mr Moreland, jun., was one of three judges who officiated at the Taranaki show at New Plymouth in 1937 when the Taranaki Stakes, a £5OO prize event for Jersey th ree _year-olds, was decided. -He is a member of the type classification committee of the Jersey Association of New Zealand, and has just completed a tour of the South Island on classification work.

Keen Breeder Among the northern visitors to the show is the Hon. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes, a successful breeder of Red Poll cattle, English Leicester sheep and Clydesdale horses. Sir Heaton won several prizes with his Red Polls yesterday. He has developed his stud almost to a state of perfection and he has had many successes at Canterbury and Royal shows. The name of Rhodes is probably as well known as any in New Zealand; for many years it has been associated with Otahuna, the estate at Tai Tapu, and on many occasions its owner has entertained Royalty and vice-Royalty. Sideshow Control

In spite of difficulties in the negotiations with the sideshowmen there was plenty to occupy the attention of MR G. R. HERRON, who has been in charge of the sideshows at the Southland summer shows for the last 12 years. He was busy rearranging “side-show alley” and remarked that the show would go on just the same. Most of the better class of sideshow had been retained and all the fun of the fair would be available for both people’s days. Mr Herron is well known throughout Otago and Southland as organizer for both the Otago and Southland branches of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. He is also president of the South Island Herd Testing Association and is the only member in Southland who is a member of both the Southland and Gore Agricultural and Pastoral Associations. He is also chairman of the South Island awards committee in the dairying industry. Showing Since 1919 MR J. H. S. ALLAN, of Waipukurau, Hawke’s Bay, president of the Milking Shorthorn Association, has been breeding and showing cattle since 1919. He is paying his first visit to a Southland show and was greatly impressed with the wonderful display of stock on the grounds. At one time he was a partner in R. S. Allan and Son, but has now started a stud of his own. Former President

MR WALTER CLARK, of Woodlands, has so often attended the Southland summer show that it is not too much to say that a show would not be the same without him. He has attended the Southland show for 56 years now and for the last 26 years he has been a director of the Southland association. He was a boy of 16 years when he first visited the Southland show. It was held on Queen’s Park in those days. His interests are largely in the horse sections; he was an exhibitor several years ago. There is little in farming about which he has not an intimate knowledge, however. Ffequently his advice has been sought on points which mean progress and improvement. He has been judge and president of the Champion Ploughing Association and has acted as judge at ploughing matches in the North Island.