THE RUATANGATA STOCK SALE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIII, Issue 9347, 28 February 1881, Page 2

THE RUATANGATA STOCK SALE.

» This important sale will take place on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday next, 2nd, 4th, and sth of March, and we can say, without fear of contradiction, that no more important stock sale has hitherto taken place in this district. Messrs Owen and Lethbridge's name is so well known in connection with pure-bred stock of the very highest quality that comment is almost unnecessary. For several years then* stock has carried off the lion's share of the prizes at the Wanganui cattle shows. Their fat stock has always commanded the highest price, and been eagerly bought up for the Wellington and Auckland markets — a fact which speaks for itself. It is well known that the spirited owners of the estate have spared no expense in procuring the very best stock to breed from, and it is the progeny of such that the auctioneer will offer to the public on the above dates. As the catalogue of 180 pages, containing a full description of every animal to be offered, is to be had from the auctioneer, it is not our intention, with our limited space, to enter into details ; but we would remind breeders, both in this and other districts, that such another opportunity to obtain pure-bred stock may not occur for some time, and the sale is therefore well worth their attention. The auctioneer's instructions are to sell without reserve, and the terms are liberal, viz., over £50 acceptances at three and six months. The preparations, which are now nearly finished, are of such an extensive nature that every facility will be offered to intending purchasers. Besides the commodious station yard there have been erected new yards, consisting of 24 pens, capable of holding 10 head of cattle in each pen. These pens are erected with a wide race between, and midway there is a ring laid off into which all the stock (except those which are to be sold in large mobs) will be led or driven, and on each side of the circle substantial raised seats have been greeted, capable of seating about 400 people, and we trust that, in justice to the vendors auctioneer and purchasers, the nonbuyers (without whom no auction sale is complete) will allow those who mean business the privilege of viewing the stock under the hammer from the most advantageous point. The stock will be gone through with as little loss of time as possible, and as one animal is sold and passes out of the ring another will take its place. Each beast will be branded with its number in plain figures, according to the catalogue, thus enabling intending purchasers to identify any animal set down in the list, and making the chance of any mistake in delivery a matter of impossibility. The trains have been arranged to run so as to drop visitors at the station at 10 a.m., and, as the sale commences at 1 1 o'clock, there is one hour for inspection before business begins. Lunch will take place at noon, and it is needless for us to state that the wants of the inner man will be carefully attended to. On Wednesday, the 2nd, the cattle will be sold, and on Friday following the sheep, and Saturday is set apart for the horses, farm implements, drays, harness, &c; and all that is now required to make the sale a succcess is fine weather and spirited competition. THE CATTLE consist of upwards of 400 lots of purebred bulls, cows, and heifers, including the imported bulls Duke Edinburgh and Duke Hazlecote, both of which are still in their prime, the former being seven, and the latter eight years of age. It is needless to remind our readers that these two animals have been imported at very great cost to the vendors, and a reference to the catalogue will show that the Duke Connaught, who is by the same sire as the Duke Hazlecote, was sold on August 2£th, 1875, for the sum of £4725^ that being the highest price ever given for a bull in England. Duke Hazlecote gained first and champion prize in Wanganui in 1876. Duke Edinburgh is also a magnificent animal, and has won three champion and two second prizes. The other bulls are Chancellor 2nd, Herald 2nd, Proctor 3rd, and Mandarin 2nd, all by Duke Hazlecote, out of pure-bred cows ; and then comes Pirate, Premier, and President, by Duke Edinburgh ; also a number of others equally well-bred, the full pedigrees of which will be found in the catalogue. THE SHEEP consist of 113 lots, and will be sold in lots of from 5 up to 500. The purebred Lincoln rams and ewes will be offered in lots of 5 and upwards. The smallest breeder will therefore have the opportunity of becoming a purchaser. These sheep are so well known that mention of them should be sufficient. They are all bred from first-class rams and picked ewes, and are large-framed sheep, carrying splendid fleeces of wool, and should command keen competition. There are also 3100 store wethers and 500 fat ditto, all bred on the station, and, having been shorn early, they now carry good growth of wool. THE HOHSES consist of over 100 lots, *and include thoroughbred Clydesdales and hackneys. We will briefly notice the thoroughbreds first. Lot lis Maid of the Mist, aged, by Antidote, dam Barbary (dam of Barbarian). This grand mare is the dam of Foam (lot 2), who won the Wanganui Derby, 1878, and afterwards performed creditably at Wanganui and Napier. Lot 3 is Fay, 3 years, by Sator, from Maid of the Mist. She is the makings of a grand stud mare. Lot "4 is the two-year-old entire coit Fathom, by Day Dawn, from Foam's dam, and is, we believe,, the only thoroughbred Day Dawn colt in the district. This colt ought to command the attention of the racing men, as he has the Wanganui Derby and Rangitikei St. Leger of 1882 before him, and is a compact made, gamelooking animal, and even if he never races a yard he ought to command a high figure as a stud horse. Lot sis Fame, a yearling, by Painter — Maid of the Mist. As this filly is engaged in the Wanganui Derby of 1883 she will, no doubt, be keenly competed for. She is a neat racy-looking animal. Lot 6is Curiosity, by Ravensworth, dam Fortuna, by St. Aubyn, and as this inare has never been brought to the post in proper trim there is no saying what she cannot do. From her breeding she ought to land many a good stake at our local race meetings. As a brood mare she ought to be a success, ag she has some of the Hercules blood in her veins. Lots 7 and 8 are two mares, Amazon and Faith, by Gladiator, from Chance and Coquette, and are both blood-like mares. Lots 9 and 10 are Maid of the Mill, by Traduoer, dam Fair Helen, and her yearling filly Maid of the Valley, by Day Dawn. Petruchio, who has proved himself a fair performer when in condition, and a bay colt by Papapa, now in training for the Wanganui Sapling Stakes, claim Maid of the Mill for their dam. Lots 11 and 12 are Nora Creina, by Nutwith, with foal at foot, by May King and her three-year-old filly;, by Sator. The remaining lots consist of well-bred mares with their progeny sired by Day Dawn, Sator, or other good horses. The draught stock includes the Clydesdale entire The Baron, 6 years, by Baronet, bred by Mr Derret of Patea, and a number of useful brood mares by Lofty, Lord Clyde, Wellington, England's Hope, and Coningsby, and are all first-class workers in any description of harness. These with their progeny,

consisting of 10 two-year-olds and 8 yearlings, make up the list, and, as many of the mares just alluded to have been prizetakers at our Wanganui shows their distribution will be watched with interest. We may say, in conclusion, that a finer lot of pedigreed stock is rarely put together than the collection that will be submitted to the hammer on the 2nd, 4th, and sth of March next.