AUTHORITY ON BREED

Southland Times, Issue 24000, 15 December 1939, Page 16

AUTHORITY ON BREED

Mr J. J. McCrostie’s Long Experience

ONE of the best-known authorities on Border Leicester sheep in New Zealand is Mr J. J. McCrostie, of Invercargill, who has been judging this breed at shows for more than 30 years. Mr McCrostie is a director of the Southland A. and P. Association.

Mr McCrostie first became interested in Border Leicester sheep at the stud

of his father, the late Mr John McCrostie, of Bonskeid, Spar Bush. For several years he was in charge of the stud and showed sheep at leading shows. He won prizes with his sheep at the last show held at Queen’s Park, Invercargill, many years ago. After leaving Spar Bush Mr McCrostie conducted his' own property, Glencairn, at Waikaia. He disposed of this property after the Great War and came to live in Invercargill. He still carries on farming at Spar Bush and he is also well known to farmers as a fat-lamb buyer for the Southland Fanners’ Co-opera-tive Association.

Mr McCrostie has ' judged Border Leicesters at all the principal shows in New Zealand and on one occasion he was invited to act at the Melbourne Royal Show, but he was unable to make the trip. He is one of the inspectors for Southland of the New Zealand Border Leicester Society. He is also interested iu sheep dogs and his services as a judge have been in demand by leading dog trial dubs.