Sporting and Dramatic REVIEW AND LICENSED VICTUALLERS' GAZETTE WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WEEKLY STANDARD Thursday, November 22, 1900.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XI, Issue 518, 22 November 1900, Page 10

Sporting and Dramatic REVIEW AND LICENSED VICTUALLERS' GAZETTE WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WEEKLY STANDARD Thursday, November 22, 1900.

A CHANCE TO BECOME FAMOUS.

Every New Zealand sportsman will be glad to hear that Seahorse looks little the worse for his recent sickness, and that in

all likelihood he will be able to take part in l the Summer Meeting of the Auckland Racing Club. He is nominated for the Auckland Oup, as is the Wellington crack Advance. The latter may receive a weight in the Auckland Oup that will place him out of court, but though the two best four-year-olds we have may not be seen competing in the two mile race, the chances are that we shall see them pitted against each other in the Auckland Plate. Were such a contest a certainty, the attendance at Ellerslie would be enormous. Already the public asks the question, “Is Advance coming at Christmas ?” The question is not confined to racing men. It is one that is occupying the attention of many others, men who are proud to know that New Zealand has produced such great performers as the Vanguard colt and the Nelson colt, and who are anxious to see the champions Advance and Seahorse racing on level terms so that the question of supremacy can be decided. There appears to be an excellent oppoitqnity for somebody to distinguish himself. Letjhim denote a valuable trophy for a match over two miles, and if Seahorse will be ready to race at Christmas, let the contest be run at the Summer Meeting. The totalieator need not be opened for such a race for the public would not require the stimulus of betting to be greatly excited over such a match. Probably Major George and Mr “ Douglas Gordon ” would be agreeable to put up say, 500 sovs each. The man who gave the trophy would bp entitled to have the match named after himself, and his name would be famous for all time. Advance and Seahorse are undoubtedly two great colts, and though the performances of the son of Vanguard read best, there are plenty of sports, men firm in the opinion that Seahorse is quite as good, if not better than Advance. That they may meet fit and well in such an encounter as we have outlined above, is certainly the earnest desire of the majority of the people in New Zealand.

THE AUCKLAND A. AND P. SHOW.

Il is a matter tor general regret that bad weather attended the annual show of the Auckland Provincial Agricultural Association. held at Potter’s Paddock on

biuu, UC7XM. an JL UUbVI D X auuui/A vw. Friday and Saturday last. Bad weather could not mar the success of the show as a show, but it interfered very considerably with the financial success which should have crowned the efforts of the Auckland Association. As an Agricultural

Show, last week’s exhibition of horses, cattle, sheep, implements, and sundry other attributes of the farmer’s industry was the best ever held in the Auckland Province. And, indeed, it would compare very favourably in point of quality with the larger exhibitions of the South. Taken all rounds the horses were good. The blood stock classes were not at all well represented as regards number. Mr Leonard Marshall’s stallion Eton, by Castor from Lady Walmesley—sister to Carbine - is as handsome an entire as could be desired, and Mr Rae’s three-year-old filly Valedictory, by Cuirassier out of Valentinia, is good looking as well as being beautifully bred. These were the only entries in the blood stock classes. As the first prize is £5 and the second £2 it is rather surprising that in a district so essentially a thoroughbred rearing ground there are so few supporters of the blood stock classes at the Agricultural Show. The saddle horses contained many wellbred animals, amongst .them that finely-built horse Leolantis by Leolinu.’, from Atlantis. Mr F. Marshall’s horse gained the first prize in the class for entires best calculated to improve the breed of saddle horses and hunters. The hack 'classes contained many good horses. One useful class was that for mares suitable for breeding cavalry horses. The first prize went to a Hotchkiss mare named Kate, the 1 property of Mr W D. R. Hall. A black mare named Gipsy, whose breeding was not given, was second, and Juno, by Muskapeer, was placed third. The prizewinners were very suitable for the purpose specified, and outside them there were several useful mares. A very large entry was received for the class for horses suitable for cavalry purposes, and some very excellent animals could have been selected from this class. The hunter classes were fairly strong both as regards quality and quantity; The well-known show horse Starlight, by Ingomar, won in the light-weight and lady’s hunter classes, while in the heavy-weight division Mr Selby’s well-known Mountain and Albion- were first and second, and Mr D. A. McLeod’s Kilcairn third* In the harness classes there were a good number of first class horses, but there were also some of indifferent quality. The exhibits in the draught stock classes were mainly excellent. The champion entire, Mr W. Taylor’s six-year-old Ben Mbre, by the imported horse Lord Dunmore, was greatly admired, while the same owner’s three-year-old stallion, Salisbury Yet, is also a splendid horse. All through these classes were of admirable quality, and in the opinion of some visitors they were very little behind the grand draught horses of Oamaru. The Canterbury and Otago Provincial Shows are supposed to hold the palm for Shorthorn cattle. Well the Shorthorns at the Auckland Show—pedigree and grade—would take a great deal of beating. There were a grand lot, and one visiting judge, Mr Campbel] oP Wanganui, averred that they were far in front of the Shorthorns shown at the Canterbury Show last year. The Ayrshires were again represented by good classes containing many choice specimens, while the show of Alderney and Jersey cattle was a feature of the gathering. The Polled Argus all came from one exhibitor, but this extremely useful breed must very shortly come more into popular favour. The fat. cattle in quality, condition, and size, bore silent but convincing testimony to the virtues of the Auckland District; The Shropshire, Lincoln, Leicester, and fat sheep, also brought strongly to mind the undeniable fact that'the Auckland Province must play a strong hand in the future in the growing of wool and mutton. Shortly put our late Agricultural Show points clearly and definitely to" general improvement. We have cattle, we have sheep. We can breed them, rear them, and fatten them, as well as, or better than, any other Province in New Zealand. We get a grand show, and yet we cannot arouse sufficient public enthusiasm to make that show a financial success. One fine day at the Agricultural Show ought to make up for a wet one. Aucklanders do not seem to enthuse on the question of agriculture. But they should do. Side shows are all very well * for the children, but the very important bearing upon the future of the Auckland Province which agriculture has, should be sufficient inducement to every hale and hearty adult to support the

Agricultural Show. At the present the support of the 7 general public is lackadaiscial. Let us hope that in the immediate future we all shall be primed with the full sense of our responsibility, •nd that never again shall it be said that the Auckland Provincial Show was a financial failure.

H. Goodman has been for a long time without a win, and therefore Cherrystone’s victory at the 0. J.O. Metropolitan Meeting was very acceptable Goodman is likely to take part at the Wellington Meeting this week, and maybe there are more of Fortune’s favours in store for him.