REVIEW OF EXHIBITS

Taranaki Daily News, 25 November 1926, Page 6

REVIEW OF EXHIBITS

COMMENTS BY THE JUDGES. GENERAL EXCELLENCE OF STOCK. Although the stock sections of some of the less popular breeds of Taranaki were not numerically as strong as the standard of the show warranted, the judges of the various sections were more than favourably impressed with the general excellence of the condition in which the animals were brought forward. They all had a high opinion of the arrangements provided for the convenience of judging and were pleased with the show in general and the opportunity, there given to breeders to view aristocratic stock in the pink of condition. MILKING SHORTHORNS. “This section is considerably above the average and the entries are better than have come forward for many years,” said Mr. E. A. Washer, of Okaiawa, ■ judge of the Milking Shorthorns. Mr. ' Washer was especially pleased to see the I Royal Show champion bull (Mr. J. C. I Wright’s Reformer of Cornwall Park) ; again presented in such good condition, | more particularly as Mr. Washer himself i had the pleasure of placing it first at Palmerston North in 1924. The reserve ; champion bull (Mr. Jas. Hodges’ Rapa i nui Carman 2nd) was a young animal | full of promise and quality. It showed i splendid head formation, approaching close to the ideal configuration, and this feature earned it victory over the nearj est competitor. The yearling heifers and fairs were very strong in the approved characteristics of the breed, and were also a well-developed lot of youngsters. “More should be heard of some of the entries in this class,” said Mr. Washer. SHORTHORNS. While commenting in appreciative terms on the heifers, the judge of this class, Mr. H. S. Turner, of Mangamingi, regretted that interest in the section / was lessened through the lack of coni,l petition among breeders, there being only one large exhibitor, Who consequently carried off the bulk of the awards. The heifers, said Mr. Turner, were a good lot and better than the entries of the past two years. The champion cow (Duchess of Burnside 58th) was a particularly fine animal outstanding among the maturer entries. HEREFORDS. The Hereford clasXs were unfortunately small, and competition was not at all keen. As in the Shorthorn section, one breeder only came forward in force, but the judge (Mr. H. S. Turner) congratulated Mr. J. Forbes, the chief winner, upon the interest lie had shown in preparing his stock for exhibition. The animals themselves were, for the most i part, full of breed characteristics, but | the task of allotting the winners was not very difficult. FRIESIANS. I In the Friesian section, the judge (Mr. ■ J. H. I*. Liggins,’of Tokomaru) was set | a difficult task in singling out the wini ners of some of the numerically stronger I classes. These classes included all the female entries, and especially the yeari ling heifers. “While the females were I particularly strong in quality and quanl tity, the bulls were not over numerous,

but showed plenty of type and prominent features of the breed,” he said. The ehampion cow (Mr. J. E. O’Shea’s Pauline Pietertje Alcartra) was a beautiful Friesian and a typy dairy animal, though perhaps it could have been a little bigger framed for the breed. The ehampion bull (Mr. W. H. Slater’s Alcartra Rozine Segis), was a fine young animal and should do well at other shows. Unfortunately only two entries came forward in the yearling bulls class, where the winner was good, though not outstanding. AYRSHIRES. Mr| J. Bowden, of Matamau, described the Ayrshire section as being of very good quality, and the winners of the various classes of such merit that they would have secured awards in much stronger competition. Taking the section right through, the entries were of fine quality and came forward in excellent condition. In this respect the yearling heifers and bulls were very strong, and the winners were a credit to their breeders. Although not in the same class as the champion, the reserve champion bull was a fine animal, but lacked the finish of condition. Mr. F. Mills’ chamjflon cow (Glencairn Jenny Lee) was full of quality and had developed along true dairy lines calculated to leave fine progeny. JERSEYS. The Jersey section was not completed until well on in the afternoon, so large were the entries in the various classes. The judge (Mr. H. Moreland, of Hamilton) expressed himself as more than pleased with the class of stock entered, particularly in the female classes. The contest for the Second Hawera Certificate of Record Stakes, under the auspices of the Hawera Jersey Cattle Club resulted in Mr. H. Stonex’s Besse’s Golden Viola securing first place and the prize of £42, with Mr. R. L. Horn’s Okau Ku Ku Duchess as second ( £l7 10s). and Mr. T. H. Western’s Oakland’s Viscountess third ( £lO 10s). All these animals pleased the judge very much and caused him a good deal of deliberation before finally reaching a decision. Of the champion bulls (Mr. H. Salway’s Victor’s Handsome Prince) and the reserve champion (Mr. J. Pettigrew’s Sungold), Mr. Moreland said both were extremely good types with very little between them. The yearling bull class was, however, disappointing in the number of entries though the quality was all that could be desired. “It has been very hard judging,” said the judge when referring to the female classes. It was unusual that the winner of the open aged cow, in which class there were 14 entries, was unable to compete against those holding authentic butter-fat record’s owing to the fact that she did not ealve in time to qualify for a C.O.R. certificate. The champion cow (Mr. R. L. Horn’s Ku Ku Brooklet) and the reserve champion (Mr. F. W. Cornwall’s Oakland’s Lady Brampton), were both of a well-developed dairy type and showed Jersey characteristics and constitution approaching ideal type. There was little to choose between the animals. In the 22 entries in the yearling heifer class, Mr. Moreland said the winner could have had a better head, but otherwise she was full of quality and promise. Unfortunately, her mate in the pairs was not so well developed, and detracted from their chances, this couple only being placed third. Taken as a whole, said the judge, the female section was well above the average, though some of the aged cows were past their prime for showing purposes. PIGS. “The Berkshire section was particularly fine in individual animals, but as a class does not come up to the highest standard of type,” said the judge (Mr. A. R. Godopp, of New Plymouth). Mrs. H. F. Wren’s champion boar was a very fine specimen, but might have been a little longer in the body. Taking this animal as a standard, Mr. Godopp pointed out defects among the other entries showing that breeders would be well to breed so as to develop a finer shoulder and lighter crest. The Tamwortli’s were a fine lot and the exhibit in this section was excellent. Here breeding was proceeding along ideal lines. SHEEP. Mr. F. Besley, judge of the sheep section, expressed himself as being agreeably struck with the large number of entries, quite three times that of last year. The Romney class was particularly strong and in this connection the outstanding exhibitors were Messrs Blair and Hunter, who secured the championship in both the ram and ewe section. All the other classes were decidedly good, while the Southdown (fat class) contained some very fine animals. \ HORSES. Keen competition was reported by the judge of the horse section (Mr. J. 0. Begbie,, of Te Kowhai), and he also commented upon the fine stamp of horse shown. It was significant of the appeal of type to various judges that- Mr. Begbie placed the winner in the Clydesdale mare class at the Royal Show at Auckland (Messrs Moore Hunter Estate’s Morgiana) second to the same owner’s Sesame, after mature deliberation. Another Royal Show winner that failed to find favour in Mr. Begbie’s eyes was the filly Fatima, owned by Messrs Moore Hunter Estate, which came third to the same owner’s Maid of Perth in the yearling filly class. In the utility section, Mr. Begbie was well pleased with the spring cart entries, in which Mr. A. Lankow’s entry was placed first to Mr. D. W. Robinson’s entry for the championship.