CLYDESDALES IN NEW ZEALAND

Southland Times, Issue 24154, 17 June 1940, Page 10

CLYDESDALES IN NEW ZEALAND

Strong Position Of Society The annual meeting of the Clydesdale Horse Society of the Dominion of New Zealand will be held in Dunedin next week. The annual accounts reveal a strong position financially, the society having ample funds to meet any contingencies that may arise. Perhaps a portion of the funds in hand might now be used to promote appreciation of the value of Clydesdales in the farming economy of this country, by means not alone of publicity campaigns, but by the conduct of cost researches, comments a northern writer. Horse breeders are facing a difficult time because of the inroads of tractors and even of the motor-lorry and truck for farm operations. At shows generally lower entries were reported. Quality, however, in no way diminished. A timely appeal to breeders is given in the reproduced statement made by the breed president in New South Wales: “It was short-sighted to neglect registering immediately a slackness took place in the horse trade,’ he said. The present phase in the horse industry was not going to last indefinitely; consequently, the horse breeder should be in a position to meet the improved market, when it eventuated. The difficult period of 1922-1930 was recalled and the subsequent recovery of 1931 onward.

“Actually, a period of inactive trading should be welcomed by Clydesdale breeders, as it affords an excellent opportunity to cull out the surplus and infeijjor animals, leaving only the best mares from which to breed. In that way the standard of Clydesdales could be materially improved, particularly as there is not the inducement to keep too many colts/’ he said. “At the same time it is desirable that breeders should maintain their stud at a reasonable level. By breeding from the best mares, and using a sire that would improve the standard of the stud, definite headway could be achieved. Those breeders who maintained their faith in the draught horse would yet reap their reward for their persistency in breeding and in improving the Clydesdale studs, despite discouraging conditions.”