"FAKING" OF SHOW SHEEP.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1071, 9 March 1911, Page 8

"FAKING" OF SHOW SHEEP.

ME; .JOHN BID WILL'S OPINION,

Respecting the. "faking" of sheep which ■was "dealt with in,a letter by Mr. H. Ci. . Williams,. published iu last' Saturday's DojijiNio.v, Mr. .John. .Bidwill, of I'ihautea, is. reported to have stated" in- an interview with a Wairarapa "Ago" representative, that' hq thoroughly agreed with' tho opinions expressed'by'. Mr. ' Williams. :'"l'alciHg," Mr. Bidwill said, .was certainly 'becoming ■ ;-a very serious, thing; personally lie ■ gave donations to shows, osi..' the ' undemanding that no "faked" ?ep should'be allowed to compete. At a; recent show lie. took a rule with him, aiid.' on measuring a first prize. sheep, fdund that tho-wool varied from 5 inches. to' : 2J inches. • .The same remark applied tq.other sheep shown. Mr.- Bidwill disapproved very. strongly of oiling, which had now reached such that !ho considered societies should provide a washbasin and tower for tho use of those who had to'bnndle them. If it was necessary to'oil certain sheep, then the logical conclusion was that those sheep could not as good as, those which did not Tequire. oiling. He looked upon "trimming" 'as the worst of all evils in Eomneys, because the "hairy, tip" Itomney ■was the very worst sheep one could breed from. Experts were probably not deceived by"iaking," but it was hardly fair to tho farmer visiting a show for tho purpose of being educated. Personally ho would, pass over every-pen wheh he considered,'• .contained "faked" sheep. Those that jyerei'not "faked" he noticed did not get-any' prises. At. tho-Carterton show a few'years-ago Mr. Bidwill stated that lie-§aw. what he considered-was an ideal Rcmjiey ewe,'which has .been passed over, aildwas hot even commendcd or mentioned -in any shape or ..form. ; In his opinion this sheep -was far superior to anything else in the yards. Not knowing. the judge, he questioned tho steward of the Eomueys as-to tho reason of this particular sheep being - overlooked. The reply was that tho,sheep was not "got up" for show, .which indicated that if a sheep was not "faked" it would stand no chance. Mr., iSidwill'considered that sheep.should be, shorn in the proper season and in tho .lis'ual way, and the date of such shearing should be given. He understood that there was a rule to this effect, but in n great many cases it 'was ignored. He held- that, it was a cowardly thins for the associations to -throw tho. onus ,of 'dealing with', "faked" shep on to the judges. ■ Tho associations should deal with the matter themselves, make a hard and fast rule, and abide by it. Thero was a strong feeling ■ against this practice, and it was in the interest of tho societies themselves to take a definite stand. Mr. Bidwill also spoke strongly against -''colouring.;'which was only another form of- "faking." The climatic conditions in New Zealand ■were favourable to sheen being shorn under true natural conditions, _ and this method of exhibiting should be insisted on by societies."