SHOW STALLIONS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1832, 19 August 1913, Page 8

SHOW STALLIONS.

COMPULSORY' VETERINARY EXAM- " INATION.' •' ■

At Wie last meeting of-the Marlborough A.-and P.-Association a lengthy discus-sion-took place with regard to veterinary' examination of draught - horses prior to their being'-'judged in the show ring! Speaking to a motion favouring examination, Mr.'M'Callum said that ho believed that in tho '.near' 'future legislation would be enacted making the principle soryj-' > He-favoured the examination of show draught stallions of the age oftliTeo years-and upwards, but would be guided bv tho.meeting as to flip exact conditions. Mr; ißishoU strongly prfitestcd against t:lie niotion of tampering with the horso classes. He confessed that he had very little faith in veterinary examination as applied to shows, ami remarked tliat after noting his own results in the breeding of farm horses, he was satisfied that the: certificates as 'to .hereditary, soundness were not worth much. Ilis worst farm horses- were those that had been nireil by stock supposed to bo free from hereditary unsoundness, while, his best and healthiest were the-product-of stallions that were technically regarded witli suspicion. ~ . , These views were not 'generally. Shared t>y the meeting. Finally ; it,was resolved that in respect to draught','stallions three years of ago «ind upwards, prizes be, awarded only to iiorses that,were declared, as the result of veterinary examination, to be .free from hereditary unsoundness. ' ■

Ainotionto include breeding mares was withdrawn, it being considered that the time was hardly ripo for such an innoyat/on, , 1 A