TARANAKI SHOW

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2709, 2 March 1916, Page 8

TARANAKI SHOW

THE OPENING DAY (ByTelegraph.—Special Correspondent.) New Plymouth, March 1. The opening day of the Taranaki Metropolitan A. and P. Society's 41st ' annual show took place Considering the manner in which the war lias affected farming interests. and labour generally, the exhibition Hi ust bo regarded as a great success. A glance round the pens shows clearly that in-, dividual Interests / have been spread over a greater area than hitherto.' the, entries this year having come from Oaanui ill the west, and Awakino in the north, whilst the various districts inir mediately surrounding New Plymouth have' responded better than usual.. This probably, is:' due to the'very .active hit : terest taken by the president, Mr. Jchn ' • Connett', %ho,-since the .annual • meeting, has, /as",a "result oT "ii. systematic- canvass ofthe district, b'eeji'successful in, augmenting the', .membership ' by/ t.ver 600, .'thus bringing ' the total -member-' skip to over IOUO/ ' Iri- coriversation \i ith a. representative'.of Tire/Dominion to-, day, Mr. 'Connett expressed 'himself as being very, pleased with the show,;.arid : stated, .his intention- during flie coming' , year ,to;-deyote Tils .attention to., organ-.. I lsing' exhibits with a, vow.', to' making ; Taranaki fine of tlio most important : Bhowii of'the island. ; V' •■' - The main.exhibits to-da"y' wore typical .of"the dairyiitg'centre, and : considering that Taranaki . exports over two million.-'pounds' 'worth of dairy 'pioducts.it was only natural to expect'that : the outstanding feature , of the exliibi-' tion should bo the dairy .stock;division; The 'Jerseys and i Ayrshires ; -classes were splendidly represented,.' both, in pedigree and grade sections,/' whilst Shortlioriis- were ? also a .stronger class than usual." , /' • : Cattle Section. . • Mr.. J. C. Wright, of Mata-pu,' won - the champion gold medal for the -bestpurebred bull, and the best purebred cow in the pedigree Shorthorn classes. The champion gold medals for best pmebred bull, aiid cow in Bolstein ck-sses were won by. Mr: Newton King. Mr. , Cole, of AVait-ara/ was" the puly exhibitor of grado Holsteins, aiid secured all 'the awards. The champion gold medal for best- purebred bull in the pedigree Ayrshire classes went to W. Hall, of Lepperton, the reserve'champion. being F, Mills's (Hawera) c.xhibit, whilst the same exhibitor was awarded ™ championship in the 'cow,,classes'., there was keen competition among pedigree Jersey men, E, J. Linn-, the wellknown Norman by breeder,' winning the championship' with liis aged bull Lord Twylish,. whilst A. A. Ward was awarded the cow championship, and there was a-, very fine entry of calves, close on thirty entries /coming forward. E. R. : Bayly, of Omata, took first prize for bull or steer, any breed,S. Richards, of Bell Block, winning the heifer coiupeti- ; tion. Sheep Classes Sheep did not form a very big part of the show. C. Hoskin was the only exhibitor of English Leicestors, and secured the ram championship. J. Blair , (Hawera) won the ram championship for Romney Marsh, and J. H. Allen (Tikorangi) the Shropshire rani championship. ... . There were 6ome. fine, sheep in the . farniers'. classes', C. Hoskin being the main prize-winner with English Leicester. Fat sheep were a fairly even class, W. B. Grant proving the most successful .among the heavy weights. Horse Classes. Tho horse classes filled up well, but it was the general. opinion- that though . numerically^'the,..exhibjtipiivis,,,quite vas strong as in other years, .the quality is not so good. Ladies' hacks were a trifle on the heavy side, the troop and utility ; classes were good, whilst draughts and

ponies woro fair. J. W. Burke exhibited the best troop horse, and J. Locke tho farmer's utility horse. Tho Competitions, - The competitions were keenly contested. A. B. Condon won the Maiden Hunters, whilst May Sole carried off tiio honours for' being the best lady rider and driver. Croen Feed Competition. One rather interesting feature of the show was the green feed competition. This comprised autumn feed lor milk prpduotion from an area of not less tlian a- quarter of an acre, one bundle to be exhibited-.at the show ground, weight -per aero to be taken into considera- ' Best quarter-acre lucerne: I. N. Blackball (Lepperton), I;'E. R. Bayly (Omata), 2. Best quarter-acre aiij' other variety green fodder: 1 W. Hannah (Mangorei), 89} points, l l; Snitli, 78"points, 2. ■ Best quarter-acre of root crops: G. -Marsh .'(Egmont Valley), 78* points, 1; .A. Moston (Kgmont Village), 75J points, 2. .