The Annual Show.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 8964, 2 November 1907, Page 2

The Annual Show.

The Horses. If there be one section more than any other found upon a Show ground which appeals to and commands the admiration and attention of all, it is that devoted to the horse. To steal a man’s horse has always been looked noon in the eyes of the law as a grave offence, punishable by a heavy penalty. Nothing perhaps supplies more eloquent testimony of the high value at which this species of the brute creation is assessed. A remark frequent in passing on our Show grounds emanating from city and town dwellers is •• Oh, I’ve only come to meet friends and see the crowd,” (and If it be a lady speaking ot course mention is also made of the dresses) but they invariably add “ and the horses,” Yes, they appeal

to all. “ Man’s friend ”is an affectionate and appropriato way to speak of thorn And they do bulk largely on tho grounds of the Manawatu A. and P. Association.

.What does the catalogue reveal? The big total of C 6 classes with a grand aggregate entry of 266. Some four centuries have rolled onward into space since the noble steed had such a high price set upon him as when from Kingly lips fell tho memorable words, “ A horse, a horse ; my Kingdom for a horse.” Time works many changes nnfl a t.rulv marvellous one has been

wrought in the portion of the animal kingdom under consideration. Great strides have undoubtedly been made iu this direction iu the Dominion of later years. At the State farms, noble specimens of the thoroughbreds, etc., imported from the Old Laud are now at the service of breeders, while in various parts, moro especially in the Auckland and Hawke's Bay districts, are found descendants of many of tho mightiest of England and Australasia’s turf heroes. The preservation of many of the world’s greatest strains is in safe keeping. But what of the future of tho horse ?

Can discerning eyes see any handwriting on the wall ? Only the other day the news was flashed across tho cables of a now conquest by Thomas A. Edison. Said Mr Edison : “ I have perfected a compact electric storage battery of almost unlimited capacity, thus cheapening and revolutionising transport.” Tho horse, ho declares, “is in consequence destined to disappear from the streets except for pleasure purposes, and everyone owning a horse will soon be able to own an automobile.” There is no denying tho horse age is

passing. It is speed or oblivion, and the machine is beating the beast to a considerable diminution of the horse’s sphere of usefulness in the days that are to bo. To what then can we point in the hope that the ruthlessness of the motor invasion will not touch in relegating the noble steed to an insignificant position by contrast ...ifi, < i,r. 1 n?fv nndesial he has lon l ' stood

upon. During the Show tho flower of the hunting field (that good old English sport) assembles from all parts of the Island to contest tho liberally endowed jumping competitions. There is little fear, then, that this particularly promident feature of tho Show will decline, for the hue and cry of the hounds and the scarlet-coated huntsman have firmly established this invigorating and grand sport in various parts of the Dominion, notablv so in tho oases of the Eaugitikoi, Egmont-Wanganni and Hawke’s Bay Hunts.

Further cheerful evidence of the assured continued need for horseflesh was supplied by tho presence here at tho Show of no less a celebrity than Colonel Goad, head of tho Indian Army Demount Service. Ho has come to spy out the land. India’s wants in tho direction of horseflesh are considerable. Some 3000 annually, Colonel Goad states, are required by his department, mostly heavy sorts lor gunners, as horses for cavalry' purposes are now being bred in India. Doubtless tho utility horse, for van or lorry or light vehicular traffic, will be tho first to feel tho effect of the motor invasion. Even the ploughshare will pro--1 ft-) iy turn over the farrows at the will of the new form of locomotion, but the hack and hunter class will always doubtless lie with us. It is sincerely to be hoped eo, at any rate. The once pride and glory of the show ring, the thoroughbred, seems destined to seek other fields of distinction than show ring honors. Only a few years hack an entry of anything less than half-a-dozen thoroughbred sires was considered unsatisfactory' at tbo principal shows. To-day it is difficult to get competition of any kind. At tho show under notice the contest dwindled down to which was tbo better of two, which the judges did not have very great difficulty in deciding. Owners of sires doing stud duty have evidently come to the conclusion that tbo risk of being unplaced in show ring competitions is not worth tho taking, considering that by so doing practically a week is lost, in which a substantial amount in tees could be earned.

The addition of a yearling gelding class would probably have the mneh-to-be-de-sired effect of restoring to something like a degree of prominence the thoroughbred class which at the 1907 show of the Manawatu A. and P. Association can practically be written down as a failure.

Had there been a yearling class this year there would have been at least one most attractive entry. At the Hawke’s Bay Show just concluded a yearling was exhibited by that enterprising breeder, Mr G. F. Moore, of Busby Park, Kai Iwi. As the breeding would lead one to expect tho youngster shows lots of quality, being by Multiform out of Guiding Star, and had there been a yearling class here this highly prized yearling would have been exhibited. DRAUGHTS. In this class the judge (Mr A. Smith, of Christchurch) expressed tho opinion that though the entries were not large, what was lacking in quantity was made up in quality. The horses were placed in tho ring in first class condition, and taken all through were quite up to expectations. Thu aged stallions were a particularly good lot, the winner, Mr F. A. Bremer’s Lord Brskino, was awarded the championship. This horse was a remarkably fine mover and his equality carried him through. Mr G. F. Moore’s imported stallion Bancor, which secured several firsts at last year’s shows, was placed second in this event. This horse is a fine one, but a little too light for tho class. A three-yoar-old colt by Bancor was first in his class at Dunedin parade out of 17 entries. Queen of Kylo, a two-vear-old by the samo stallion, was recently purchased by Mr Middleton, of Wayerley, for £2OO. The heavy draught stallions class was won by Mr J. D. Mitchell’s Sterling Prince, while a fine bay horse owned by Mr A. Anderson was awarded second place. The winner of the three-year-old station class turned up in M essrs Perham Larsen and Co.’s (the well known sawmillera of Utiku) Sma Glen, which was very well brought out, and would hold his own in any ring. The next of the •class were fairly even, Hr J. S. Oughton’s Royal Crown securing second place.

Mr J. D. Mitchell’s Kandahar,a fine, well set-up horse, with good movement and first-rate feet, stood out by itself in the 2-year-old stallion class. A wonderfully fine mare, owned by Mr J. W. Harding, named Queen Agg, was successful in gaining a first in the class for brood mares, her only fault being that she was slightly weak in the front. The second prize in this class was won by Mr J. S. ton’s Miss Ivanhoe. This mare was and big in front but fell away behind. Among the 3-year-old fillies, Mr W, J. Harding’s Laura Dunne was awarded first; a wonderfully well-grown mare with really good legs and feet. This mare was also awarded the championship for draught mares. A beautiful, well-developed and wellgrown mare owned by Mr IV. Gadsby, namely Princess Royal, won the prize for two’-year-old fillies. The second placed mare, owned by the Hon. J. D. Ormond, was also good, but deficient in her hocks.

The yearling fillies were a really good class, though Mr H. Purdie’s Lady Roberts, who turned up the winner, was very ranch ahead of her opponents. This mare was well-grown, with a particularly good middle piece, and she stood well on her legs. Mr W. Gadsby’s Royal Gem, the secondplaced mare, was not so good in the middle piece. The other competitors were inclined to coarseness.

The winner of the aged gelding class had a better quality of leg than the others in this class, and he won on general evenness. The second-placed horse had a better body, but not such good legs as the winner.

The working classes were well brought out. but there was nothing very much to pick out as standing out ahead. Some of these shiv-vr 1 -i I'-;.- amount of work.

In the class for best horse or pony with milk float there was only one entry, namely, Mr J. S. Jones’ turnout, but this gained, full points, as it was very neat and clean, and well deserved the award. In class 80 for tradesmen’s single light horse, Messrs Nash and Co.’s Billy secured the first place, while Mr Walter Cotton’s entry came second. Messrs Paget and Barrow’s entry was a good one, but lost points owing to the- conveyance being new. In connection with these entries the judge said that he thought it would be bettor in future if the Association were to state that the vehicle; harness and horse, had to be in use for a certain period prior to the Show, as it was hardly fair to compare an entirely now turnout in the same class with one that has seen Bonao wear,

HARNESS HORSES. 1 In the class for best single harness horse, 15'3 hands and over, the winner, Mr J. G. McDonald’s Comrade, was a good stamp, and this class was fairly well represented, though there was nothing exceptional. A useful lot of harness horses entered for Class 52, and the winner, Mr G. Soarlo’s Darby was a good horse. The single harness cobs were an even lot and nil were of a high standard. The winner, Mr Maxwell Edgar’s Tom Tit, was an exceptionally good cob. The eecond placed horse in this was a little bit on the rough side, but a good goer. The class of harness pony entering was not a particularly good one. There wore none particujj larly worthy of mention. The trotting stallions competing were both aged and showed signs of wear. HACKS, Ac. Mr J. H. McNivcn has a good stamp of horse in “Juggler,” who was successful in winning the class for “ weight-carrying hack,” and afterwards secured the ribbon for champion hack. In the 13-stoae weight-carrying hack class Mr W. J. Bartlett’s “ Scout ” gained first place, Mr J. D. Mitchell’s “ Straight Eleven ” being placed second. Mr Bartlett’s “Scout” is an exceptionally fine horse and has been very successful in the classes for which ho has been entered. Mrs J. D. Eiddil'ord’s “ Whipcord ” was awarded first prize as a light-weight hack, scoring a fairly easy win. The rest of the entries in this class were pretty even.

Among the weight carrying cobs. MiMaxwell Edgar’s Tom Tit again outclassed his’oppononts and scored an easy win over Mr H. M. Simmond’s “ His Worship,” who was given second place. In the class for the most suitable maro or gelding for a hunter, Mr W. J. Bartlett’s Scout scored another win over Mr J. D. Mitchell’s Straight Eleven. Both those horses have the makings of first rate hunters. Mr J. H. MoNivea s Juggler, which was allotted third place, is a fine horse but a bit on the heavy side for hunting. In tho Ladies’ Hack class tto competitors wore hardly of sufficient brooding or quality. The winner, Mr T. P, Haggitfs Jack, won on his manners. The prize for tho best girl rider under 15 was won by Miss Maggie Briggs, bliss H. Maher securing second place. Tho riding in this class was excellent, in fact the judge, Mr O'Brien, said that ho considered quite a feature of tho show was the magnificent riding of the lady-riders, both in tho grown up and children’s classes.

AN EXPERT’S VIEW. Mr T. Hoult, of Aoraugi, one of tho best judges of horse flesh iu this Maud: “The horses, taken as a whole, were uofc flip to “the usual standard for a Palmerston show, the entries ware poor and the quality not by any moans the best, although there were exceptions, as for instance, the handsome draught Lord Erskiuo, who was worthy of his honours, a real typical draught. Ho was only just beaten for first place at the International Exhibition Show by the imported draught “Pride of Newtown.” Lord Erksiuo was first at Hawke’s Bay, champion iu his class, and champion draught on the ground. There were one or two other fair animals iu the draughts here, but generally speaking they were extremely poor. The jumping was really interesting, and good, some of the best jumpers in the Dominion taking part. The Mauawatu, Feildiug and Wanganui show people should combine and contribute something towards getting 'the owner of the public’s favourite jumper, Pickpocket, to jump him at these throe shows, not for prizes but merely for the public’s amusement. A marked improvement was noticeable in the manner in which the different riders handled their mounts, particularly the boys iu tiio jumping contest. I have a very high opinion of Mr Mitchell’s horse Bushy Park. Ho is a coming horse and had a bettor stylo of jumping from a hunters’ point of view than the redoubtable Pickpocket, and had Bushy Park not hesitated at the double brush on Thursday he would have won. ’ ’