HIGHEST PRICED ROMNEY YET IMPORTED.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2054, 4 December 1907, Page 5 (Supplement)

HIGHEST PRICED ROMNEY YET IMPORTED.

ißy the steamer Tongariro there has reached tho Dominion a number of British pedigree animals. which should have an important -nfluenca on tho country’s live stock. They included six shearling Romney rams, four Border Leicester shearling .ams, and a couple of yearling Clydesdales for Mr D. Murray, of Warepu, Otago, and two Border rams for Mr Watson Shennan ,of Collide H.li, Otago. Mr Murray selected the s ocs '•himself and came out with it. The most interesting of the slioep is lho champion shearling Romney ram oi England, first at the Royal and other leading shows, which Mr Murray purchased under tlie hammer at •tho Ashford sale at tlie record price of 150 gs. In order to ascertain the requirements of American and colonial buyers a class has been established at the great Kent sheep fair, annually held at Ashford, lor the best woolled sheep, which a committee of the foreign buyers is asked to judge. At this year’s fair ri'o judges were Mr Murray, Mr Fd ;ar (also of New Zealand), and an Argentine breeder. The shearling purchased by Mr' Murray was first in this class, in which there was an entry of 56. iHe was bred by Mr C. File, and is a son of Mr G. C. Wheeler’s Palmerston champion. Like his father he has great width in front, has a good back; and is veriwell ribbed up. His--fleece, however, is decidedly bettor. The fifth., sheep in the class was purchased by -r Elgar at 130 gs. Mr Murray’s other sheep include one bred by Rigden and fourth at tlie English Royal, .purchased privately at 50gs, a particularly nice sheep; one bred by Nearn, a good-woolled sheep, but weak in the back; and a File sheep, with a fairly good fleece, symmetrical carcase, but on tho small side. The Borders brought by Mr Murray are a fine lot. They include the first prize winner at tlie Royal, r sheep bred by Hume, of Barrelwell. Ho is a remarkably wol 1 toppedsheep, of good length, well-woolled to tho head and nioe ears, with an even fleece, but falling away a little in front.