Rangitikei A. & P. Show.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3420, 26 February 1920, Page 4

Rangitikei A. & P. Show.

._.....__..Q......._....... A RECORD SHOW OF STOCK. The ninth aninuaii ‘eghibition held under the auspiecs oi the Rangitikci Agricultural and Pastoral Association yesterday was a record success from almost every point of view. The day was ideal, the at.-tcnduncc of vi.~iitol's was as large, or larger, than at any previous Show, and had *'not the weather been threatening the previous day and on the znormng of the Show, it is safe to say the attendance would easily have passed all records. The grounds presented a most animated appearance from early morning to the last event on the pi-ogranime ,and it is difiicult ‘to imagine a more satisfied crowd than that which passed out of the gates of the grounds last night. It was ‘noticeable that the Show cafa~ logue was slightly larger than usual, indicating -that entries: in many classes were more numerous than lieretofore.

The evening preceding thc Show th\e Committee had evenything ready for stock, and several worked the whole night through to have their oxhibiifs ready at the earliest possible moment; for the judges to adjudicate upon; a more painstaking lot of judges it would be virtually impossible to find, and from the entire absence of com-

plaint it seems that they gave universal‘ satisfaction. Too much cannot be said in praise of the arrangements and general conduct. of the Show. The duties of Committee and ‘Stewards were never greater or more varied, and yet the "whole organised. effort. went like a piece of well oiled mechanism. Stewards recorded. the judges’ decisions promptly, rendering the work of pressmen of the easiest kind, and the ever obliging,‘ ever smiling secretary, under stress or easy sailing, left nothing to be wished for. It is to the excellent work "of such oflicers that a show is made all it should be to visitors as well as to competitors. In side-shows visitors were well catered for; there being a much larger number than usual of peregrinating dealers in novelties of both useful articles. as well as of those, of the doubtful kind. _\ »_<_:on(lly number of showmen were also present, one particularly, the glass blowing exhibition being most instructive. The monster ox, bred in Taranaki. ‘and weighing 3180 pounds, was also on view, and many hundreds of people passed into its enclosure to see it"), The gathering together of motor ears was indeed food for stmly on the rapid transition from horse tre.'-tion p to the more rapid motor car. The dress of ladies, ‘taken collectivel_v, was not so highly coloured as usual. rr-n-.lering-the kaleidoscopic view of -9 rather more sombre hue. If anything, them was a falling off in tradesmen. mannflacturers and dealers in usin-3 stir,-. Show as a. means of 3.dV€l‘tlSf‘lil"lli'. l\i - Verncr Nicholls had an aft ‘a'°t‘.\'-.* 9hibif of the various motor ears ‘.2 which he specialises. an-l lee on: r - warded by effecting proi‘it';lble' bus - ness. The Ford car was also in ev’- l dence; it is the poor lll2}i"s car. 'o2:‘. from the dainty little brougha~~:=.. ucoupe, exhibited. it seems that Bless:-4 Eteveneanx and Co. are after the professional man ’s orders. .\[r. P£‘Tl."r Wakcman satisfied a tllirsty c;'O\'.'2’l in his usual good style with the l)esfi that is obtainable, and supplied a wart felt in the middle of a New Ze:ll'3.ni-1 summer. The catering of Mr. F.awlir~r, of Palmerston North, was goml. but *‘ seems that the task o.‘ S=.*.~i‘:',\l)‘:7'lg_l‘ ‘-1 Taihapo crowd was rather umlci--o.~=€‘:-mated-—not by lack of provisions. br-t / rather of servitors sufiieien; for coping ‘ with the demand. In fact the S‘n'~~v Committee and Ofiicers seem to 12”!‘ 3 left no unconsidered triflg for :1r"l>:\-" I to complain about. A very ini;..'=r‘i:‘ V 7 . improvement was the permauozit re house for ladies, and the pa.tl'Cnf!g3 received indicates that it Pill not Tllll‘-li‘ -- . ialise a day too soon- Even he“ 1' -' conveniences ares promised ‘for v»:"'; year. It was around stock exhibits and t‘:«-:, judges’ decisions that the infel'€stt‘.'-‘t-matters centred. The entries of Sll-'.‘l‘[) were a great improvement on pr-;-vious years, and the cattle entris were very much more numerous, particularly noticeable Was the impl'ovement Ix‘. 73‘? dairy cattle sections. There. ~.'-a.-: -a!~‘o a distinct advance in the fat cattle classes, the number of competi'orS and tte quality of exhibits being vi"-v notable. The most successful pi-iv.-: taker being '_.lr. J. Webb. bu? 110 ''-‘-’a3 closely followed by H. D. B’.‘mi-.‘-*f, -‘ll’ ' S. Parsons, and G. H. Brown, of ’{‘::nma. In purebred cattle Mr. J, 'l3" rtosh took the elmnipir-nship and all the other prizes in Short?-iorn classes. 'l‘hc-e was kcefi colx‘p-.'f.§Ti".‘!l in fh I‘I(““f(\'fl classes; Mr. M. (lerriganl secured :n‘!3A championship for bull: .-‘\[r. J. -T. Bwcm of Mai-ton. took two.*- fir~‘=. but local men xx-“--* ale" s.--.9’--""' ‘. In ‘milking Slzofil;-r)r1:s ‘Er. G_=.w'r" '. J‘, of Ng'.=iwaka., 112.-l :1 full lmnal 9'7 ‘i T. W. Williams. Vitlr :1 t‘-ulv E ficcnt 10t,..|’y,».;~~.-imi =-mi.:ug'fz~. —' -.. Fr."_.,-ian se:*.t.'“*l. liar .T«""‘"-V“ T\?~ ‘_ Crawford‘ w."... awarded the ~,_

ship for both bull and.Vcow, In gmde cattle the honours were more evenly distributed. In ordinary dairy cattle sections there was strong indication of the rapidly increasing importance of the dairying induetryi The sheep were a splendid lot, many being equal to gaining honours in the largest show in“‘he Dominion. The judge of Romneys, a veteran of the Romney show pen, Mr. W. B. Allen, of

Masterton, had a difiicult task, and no one will say he did not perform it honourably, despite the leaning 811)’ judges may have -towards any partiw‘ lar type of animal. Mr. A. R. Fannin has evidently specialised on the ROI};ney, for he made a clean sweep of first honours .11 several classes Ml‘ GA. Wheeler nan him very hard, and that Mr. Wheeler managed to -get some firsts and many other‘ prizes, is abun-i dantly compelling that there is to he‘ a keen contest in i’li~'fure shows for the 1 Ajudgys best opinion, Mr. Fannin,l however, carried away all the «ham-‘ pionships, but Mr. Wheeler «lemontrated that the exhibitor who holds him cheaply is going to court defeat. In Lincolns Mr. G. H. Brown was 1 king, and Mr. Wheeler’ was equally so among Sourfhdowns. In flock Romneys i Mr E. W. Spooner carried everything. Fat sheep and ‘lam-bs Was an interestingly contested section of the Show, Mr H. D_ Bennett being again the chief ' prize-taker. In sheep he was welll beaten by Mr. W. Reid, of Feilding,' but in lambs Mr. Reid was only succesful in -‘Down-cross class. In pigs thee was a noticeable falling off, and an indication that the» pig industry needs encouragement. Miscellaneous xhibits were not an improvement as regards numbers over previous shows.‘ In vegetables Mr. Swindells and Mr. J. K. Grorrie were again the chief prize-winners, although many prizes were distributed among other exhibitors. The Home Industries classes also, were not up to those of previousyears, the number of exhibitors havingi fallen off. As the State now teaches cooking as an important subject of a WOman’s -education. it would be

thought thaifl competition would im-, mensely increase. Miss Ivy Belliss was easily first in the Home Industry sec/éion, but Miss D_ ;VlcDonald, Mrs Butcher, Mrs. McCombie, -and Mrs. M. . Bennett proved no unworthy competitors. Only three schoolgirls competed in the cooking class. Miss K. Bicknell being first, followed by Miss G. Scott and Miss K. Adlam. Preserves and pickles seem to have gone ouzt of flash-i ion from the very few exhibits enterd.§

:1-lORSES ' The draught section never has been a large one, owing probably to the increasing use of motor traction, and the extension of railways. -The chief exhibitor of draught horses is Mr. T. Mlann, of Raukura, and it must be conceded that he well earned the prizes that were awarded to him. In the general utility horse sections there was fair competition, the first honours being fairly well distributed. The] harness horse section was better contested, the names of some new exhihibitors appearing in the catalogue. Amongst saddle horsesiwere most of the horses which also competed in the jumping, riding, and driving events. The prize for the best paced hack was awarded to Mrs. P. S. Carroll’s Bill. and considering the company Bill was in, it was a remarkably creditable performance. The competitions are ever the most popular events with visitors, and the exhibition of horses, horsemanship, and hor-sewomanship given yesterday should be satisfying to every visitor present, whether he be horsily inclined or otherwise. In the pony class Miss Awdry, of Marten, was successful, Mr Stan Peyton and Mr. T. Bradley also secured first prizes. The champion girl rider was Miss Miles, and Ronald McLennan was the boy champion. The jumping in all the hunter and steeplechase classes was good, and the performance as a whole was an intensely interesting and entertaining one. Miss G. Maher. with her duo, Batchelor and Romeo, virtually did the hat trick,and it seems that some scheme of handicapping will have to be invented to prevent the Hastings young lady coming every year just to collect the first prizes for most events. In the Hunters two local horses owned’ by D. McDonald and H. S. Harris were placed only being beaten 55: the famous Twilight. In the Ladies’ Hunrters T. Bradley ’s Loafer, and P, Troy ’s Larry took places behind Miss Ma,henr’si Romeo. The best lady rider honours: were awarded to Miss Gr. Maher, withi Miss Elfie Blinkhorn second, not at all 1 an undignified position. 1 Theone great want of the otherwise perfect on-ting Was a brass band, or some other music: Every other person one met the inquiry was about 3 band. Following are the judges’! awards:- . .;