OAMARU.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14829, 21 November 1913, Page 4

OAMARU.

(jrECIAI. TO "THE TRESS.") OAMARU. November 20. Tfic firty-first annual show ;mder the auspices of thft North OUgo A. and ]'. Association, was opened to-day. uudor favourable conditions. The

weather was fine up till about 3.30 p.m., when a heavy shower tell. Tho attendance was fairly good, but not nearly up to that of tho first day on previous occasions at Oamaru.

The total entries 101 l considerably below thoso for last year, when the Jubilee Show was held, but the totnr , was well up to that for many previous years. Tho principal falling off was in the draught horse classes and in a number of the sheep sections. All the merino peus were emptyv hut there was a magnificent dfeplny of Border Leicesters, as good, probably, as that seen at any of tho previous Oamapu Shows, and this us saying a lot, seeing that Oamani may fairly bo said to bo tho principal home • of the Borders in s>o far as the South island is concerned. There was a rosy considerable reversal of judgment as compared with some of tho decisions given, at the Christchurch Show last week. As an instance of tliis, it may be fttatod that the champion ewe at Oamaru to-day was placed third in her class at Christchureh, while the resorro champion ewe and also second in her class, wns placed first at tho Timaru Show, and first irf Christchurch laefc week. Tho principal prize takers in the Border classesf »'««» D. M. Sutherland and J. Doathwnitev Mr Sutherland took the ram champion-, ship, and Mr Doathwaito tho roserre champion honour, white in the female sections tho .positions wero just tho reverse, Mr Dbuthwaite takirig tho championship and Mr Sutherland tho reserve. There was no competition in the English Leicootors as between brooders, 3lr p. Grant being tho only exhibitor. It is needlesSj however, to say that the sheep wero good, and he was deservedly awarded fall honors in each section.

Some good lanoolns trere shown, but. here again there was a lack of competition. The New Zealand and Australian Land Company tent forward tho bulk of the entries, Mr J. Douthwaite being the only other exhibitor, and he only showed ono class of rams, 30 months and over. The Land Company easily took the first honors and the champion- - ship, Mr Douthwaite taking second and the reserve champion honour. Thij Land Company also took each of the owe championship honours. A couple of Bomncys only were shown. There was a good sbcnr of Corri«> dales. ono of tho,best yot seen on the Oamaru gronnd, but the Land Cottpanr was the only competitor. There was a magnificent display of fat sheep and lauibs,'and it is doubtful whother a. bettor has yet been seen in tho Dominion, tho lambs especially beiii£ remarkably pood end prime. The principal prizo-takere iwsro Ties. Scott, J. Hediey. H. S. Orbell, Wm. Gardiner, j'uiL.T. S. Stephens, aud H. Allnutt. D. M. Sutherland won tho President's ten guinea ctjp for most points in. Border Leicesters, with -13 points. J. Douthwaite coming second with -2 points.

C. Bricc, of Shirley, was the only exhibitor in the pip claw?, and ho was awarded Sr&t and second prizes resptctively in each cla£3.

In tho cattle clafc-sea, Shorthorns were represented by a solitary bnll— W. Gardiner's Duke of Hamilton, which was second at tho Christclnirch Show last week.

Tho chief feature in the cattle elate** was the Ayrsbires, but tb©M>. as a whole, were no=t up to tho high standard of the Ayrshine hhown at Oamaru some years ago. Tho females were good, and somo particularly woll-brcd, iwomising youngsters'' were eeui in to tho ring.- Some of the bulls v wer« iqkcli lacking in character, and showed aa iniiksirable coarseness about the head, and were faulty in tho horn, and also deficient in the shoulder. Tho champion cow was Cowan Bros. Lena 11.. and tne rcsvrre champion, A. Gillie's B*sa» of Townhead. The champion bull va& James Frew's General of Herbert, vith A. Gillies's Stanley of Townheaa the reserve champion. Some good general dairy cattle wet» shown.

There waa a good display of ligbt horses, cobs and ponies. The charxipjoa back was Cowan Bros. , exhibit, with E. C. Studholme'e (the , Chri&tohurch resorre champion ) B*cond. C. S. McliSdilaji took the championship in the light harnw>.s sections, and J. Trotter the resorvf charapionship. The produce shed was well filled with a highly creditable display of farm and dairy produce. ,