Horses.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 14042, 28 October 1909, Page 7

Horses.

HARNESS AND SADDLE. A start was made at noon with, the ponies, and generally speaking the classes were well filled, and consequently there was good competition. Mrs. Croucher showed a. well matched pair of buggy ponies under 14.2 and though they had to go alone, they could welL have faced many another pair. The single harness class was a good one, but the winner w;;s.a. good deal ahead of the others. He showed very nice action, and siiitod iue turnout well. Tho second pony was much lighter, but generally speaking more showy in his paces than the v.ii.r.or. The others were on the very lifnt side, and the runner up to place-takers though a good stamp, was s<.i:(\v!iat slow, and hardly so active. F..r not over 14.2 hands, four ponies of r.n excellent stamp were driven m, The keeness of competition was the best so far, for taking harness purposes into primary consideration there was hi tie to choose between the placed horses. Or tho other two, they were on the light side, and hardly up to s-now cuving form. Mr Grain's Dandy was a very good stamp, trotted well, and came to the rein cleverly, while Mr. Edward's Dainty was good all round.

The carriage colts were a very average lot. In the two year (Id class, the colts shown were wot up to verm r.fc oil. line was too ligiit in the bone, and showing marked " characteristics of the thoroughbred. The. other colfc was not sound, and the action ot one of bis forelegs did not please the judge, who after consultation vita, another extjert, directed that the coles he led from the ring without making any award. In the two year old class for geldings Mr. A. S. Palmer yon with a shapely gelding by the &tanuard bred stallion Rothschild, showing care and vigorous growth. Mr. Withells fillv was email but compact, and was by* Defender. Mr. H. T. Bosendale had the class for carriage horses to himself, and one missed Ashwiek 3 famous teams very much. However, Air llosendale sent forward suno very line horses, apparently up to any draught in the carriage or buggy line. Their black colour, too, made them verv showy", and they looked well cither at rest or under,the whip. As is usual at the Timaru Show the dogcart horses were exceptionally good, and Mr Hay ward spent a lot of time over them.' The turn-outs this year were also more in keeping, and it is vei- satisfactory to note the interest thus taken by exhibitors. In the I-j.2 and over class, quality nice, two being splendid specimens. The award went to Mrs H. G. Bricn, but there was verv little to chose between her horse and"'-Mr F. J. White's. In the under 1.V2 the winner, Mr Acton-Adams Patrick was much the finer performer, Mr Rospnd.ilo's Maori Wahine being a httlo bit raggpd in action. The others were liardlv class enough to warrant other awards. A new class for non prize-winners at any show attracted three entries, and though this may not he had. perhaps, for a start, is deserving of more encouragement. The horses driven in varied, Mr "VV. Harper's .lack being of that stamp that shows croat power and stamina for •miv ioiirney. while Mr P. Warcing's Kia-Ora was light and more stvlish. Taken altogether, with the few clrfsses so far ii'dgpcl, liirbt horses are still among the foremost attractions at the show. HUNTERS OVER FENCES. That the trials of the hunters are a supreme attraction was again in evidenco yesterday, for as soon as the horses were led in, the crowd of people made for the rails and watched with interest, two competitions that took nearly two hours to settle. A "start was made with the heavy weight hunters, the eight entries all being saddled and facing the judge. Mr White led the round on Victory, which struck the first hurdle, and refused the gorse. Once over the horse did not like the sod wall, and in the second round again shirked the gorse. Brown Bird in the hands of Mr It. J. Edgar, dwelt badly in the take off. and did not take at all kindly to the trials. Mr P. A. El worthy did two verv good rounds on Liberty, and "Wizard, with Mr M. Orton in the saddle, was rash at the gorse, but shaped well at the other obstacles. Prince Charlie was slovenly at the gorse, and Mr Acton-Adams had to face the sod wall the third time before be got him over. Restless gave an indifferent display, and though Bloomfield rapped the hurdle he showed all his old true honesty and form. Mr E. G. Temple':! Alatai did exceedingly well, though at times inclined to take # off too short, and slide on Ihe slipperv* turf. With Liberty placed first, Wizard, Bloom field and Matai had to go round again- iW the other honours, and Matai gave the iw«t finished performance, while Wizard was placed third.

In the light-weights the exhibition as a whole was again good. Mr F. M. teimmons had hard luck, for Aiisehief struck the second hurdle hard, and was pulled up. She slipped in the take off, and went right into the timber. Ironbark did an excellent round, as also did Clarence, tho latter being a very big and clever fencer. Air A. J. Bla.ck's Flossie was awkward, and got her feet badly away, while Mr Parkinson's Uncle Tom refused to go over the second gorse fence. Air J. S. Hay's Scenery also declined the corse, and was not pers3vered with. Air Edgar's Trixie was good, as also was Air Alaze's Donation, while Air Acton-Adams' Dandy ran these two very close. Air Ivey's Jack and Afv Boattie's Waimoa were not up to form, and both shaped very indifferently. The competition was so keen, that Ironhark, Clarence, Trixie, Donation and Dandy had to be sent around a second time. This left little as to the winner, but it was a very close finish as to the other places. Clarence's win was well - deserved, though be is not really so clever or so nico a horse to handle as Tronbark. Of the others Trixie and Donation were the host in the order passed. To-day there -"ill bo two other quite as inifirn'no- ovp"*g. THE DRIVING COATPETITfON.

The driving competition came on at 3 o'clock, and it attracted the n.'ua! amount , of attention. It was for single horses and.trao, (ml the competitors bad to drive first between lour sets'of short pegs,, then between three sets of loncc-pegs, and -again bftweon four'-sets that it was just- possible to drive between them without knocking any down if the driver was sufficiently expert in the management of his horse. The firse prize was £1 10s, the second

10s. There were five entries. Mr G. Kerslake went first and he knocked over two pegs, his time being 20sec. Mr Wright followed and he knocked over three, his time being 18sec. Mr Knowles came next, but lie made the pace too fast, and made a bungle of tho business. Mr. J. Mee came next and made only two mistakes, his time being ISscc. Mr. Sam Trilford essayed the difficult feat with a well mannered little pony which made only one mistake, and in addition to doing it well he also, did it quickly, his time being Msec. Mr. Trilford was heartily applauded and handed the red ticket. Messrs. Moo and Wright drove again to decide the second place, these two. having been equal in the first drive. Mr. Wright made two mistakes and Mr. Mee onlv one, ?o that second honours fell to him. The awards were:— S. Trilford, 24 points 1: J. Moo 2'l points 2.