£500 Manawatu Jersey Oaks Competition

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 28, 3 February 1937, Page 6

£SOO Manawatu Jersey Oaks Competition

Issue Results in a Tie WIDESPREAD INTERESTS CREATED. Widespread interest was created in the finalisation of the £SOO Manawatu Jersey Oaks competition which was decided at the Feilding A. and P. Show yesterday in most glorious summer weather. The last stages of the judging were followed with the greatest of. interest by a great crowd of breeders and dairy farmers from all parts of the country including visitors from the Waikato and excitement grew when it became known that the result was a tie. Before any official announcement was made a recount of the points was made and after these had been checked up it was found impossible to separate the two animals which had come together to claim the rich prize money. The joint winners of the first an.i second prize money totalling £350 were Mr. C. B. Lepper, of Lepperton, Taranaki, Mr. H. J. Lancaster, of Levin. The heifers responsible for the verdict were Maori Kismet, the property of Mr. Lepper, who was by Brampton Dance (imp.) out of Maori Halo, and Ueatherlea Alice, owned by Mr. Lancaster, a daughter of Heatherlea Alsike by Heatherlea Royalist. From the point of view of the admiring gallery the two heifers which shared the prize money were beautiful beasts of remarkable quality and although less than three points away from the heifers securing third and fourth places their success had been gained on a unanimous verdict of outstanding type. Maori Kismet was a mottled lawn on the light shade while her equal in this unique contest was of a deep fawn and more of the generally accepted colour for a Jersey. But colour does not enter into these contests to-day —Jersey breeders go for type and production and eliminate all questions of colour. The original entries in the competition totalled 150 and the number that actually faced the final judging was 22. The seven prize winners were as follows: — H. J. Lancaster’s Heatherlea Alice, 93741b5. milk, 5591b5. butterfat; points, production 50, type 43, total 93. C. B. Lepper’s Kismet, 10,4181b5. milk, G4olbs.' butterfat; points, production 50, type 43, total 93. W. Crosby’s Croydon Fern’s Marie, 95941b5. milk, 6111bs. butterfat; points, production 50, type 40.75, /total 90.75. J. Murray’s Erinview v Dairymaid, 11,5551b5. milk, 6471b5. j butterfat; points, production 50, type 40.25, total 90.25. C. G. C. Dermer’s Waipiko Vivienne, 10,1641b5. milk, 5931b5. butterfat; points, production 50, type 40, total 90. J. Klenner’s Fairlands Goldie, 90411b5. milk, 5561b5. butterfat; points, production 50, type 39.75, total 89.75. J. Bones’ Greencroft Sweet Fea, 87431b5. milk, 5651b5. butterfat; points, production 50, typo 39, total 89. After the results had been announced to the large gallery thronging the show ring Mr. J. A. Russell, president of the Manawatu Jersey Breeders’ Club, said that it was unfortunate that the Oaks had resulted in a tie as Mrs. Percy Anderson of Palmerston North had Handworked the handsome championship ribbon which was to be placed on The neck of the champion animal. However it could not very well be presented to both heifers and Mr. Russell was very glad to announce that the difficulty had been overcome through tko generosity of Mrs. Anderson who had Kindly offered to handwork anotner ribbon on the same lines as the one she had already done. (Applause.) The handsome blue ribbon handworked in gold lettering was then exhibited and admired by the crowd. Mr. Russell went on to allude to the widespread interest of the contest and tendered his congratulations to the secretary (Mr. E. G. Dobson) for the untiring work he had put into the competition and for bringing the Oaks to a successful conclusion. Congratulations were also due to members of the committee who had worked with Mi. Dobson. Thanks were also due to the Jersey Cattle Breeders’ Association for its donation of £250 towards the prize money which had made the venture possible. In addition members of the Manawatu Jersey Breeders’ Club had signed a guarantee for £250 to assure the club’s portion of the prize money and to them Mr. Russell extended his most sincere thanks. He regarded then action in coming forward and assisting the venture as most generous considering the difficult time through whien farmers had been. Their ready assistance had been most gratifying and was due to the interest of these members and the others he had alluded to that the Oaks had been carried tnrough so successfully. To the successful entrants Mr. Russell conveyed his congratulations and concluding said that the Oaks spoke volumes for the enthusiasm with which the Jersey breeders nad regarded it. Congratulations to the successful entrants were also extended by Mr. G. H. Beli, of New Plymouth, president of the New Zealand Jersey Cattle Breeders* Association who also praised the work and enthusiasm of the Manawatu Club m promoting such a successful competition which has aroused so much interest. Much hard work had been accomplished by the club in furthering the competition and it appealed to him that lessons in control had been learned since it was commenced, notably in connection with the unique position of a tie. There was no doutit that the competition had been conducted wonderfully w r ell and reflected every credit upon the organisation responsible for carrying it through. The competition would go down in history as the outstanding one which had produced a tie, a fact which Mr. Bell considered most remarkable. He paid a tribute to the

judges for the mauner in which they had carried out their tasks. Mr. Bell concluded by congratulating the exhibitors upon the splendid quality of their stock. Mrs. Anderson then placed the beau tifully worked ribbon on the two heifers and as the other awards were announced presented the different ribbons to the successful stock.