MASTERTON RAM FAIR

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 21 February 1913, Page 5

MASTERTON RAM FAIR

A SUCCESSFUL OPENING.

Messrs Dalgety and Co., Ltd., report:—The combined auctioneers, un—tier the auspices of the Mastertoa Agricultural and Pastoral Association;, opened their annual rani fair on the Solway showgrounds yesterday. l*h& appointments for the working of tha fair were most complete, and buyers and vendors in attendance spoke highly of the excellent arrangments made for the handling of the large entry. Certainly, when compared with other centres, the Masterton A s . and P. Association must be complimented on the up to date methods*. that have been adopted for the yarding and selling of the rains that came forward.

,A large and representative gathering of buyers attended from all parts of the North Island, and quite a number were also present from the South. The breeds of rams set down for offering on the first dajr were stud and flock Lincolns andL stud and flock Southdowns. The entries in.Southowns were very good indeed, and before the sale started a fair amount of speculation took place in connection with demand and prices. Prices for frozen mutton and lamb aret this year good, and as our district is. essentially a fattening one, and yearly it is found that breeders are becoming more partial to the black face* ram, it was anticipated that keen competition would take place for tha Southdowns. Such anticipations were. rea.li.yad, and Ave have no hesitation. in saying that prices yesterday for good, fair, and inferior sheep were the best ever reached at a Masterton fair.

The quality of the yarding was excellent, and some really good rams came under the hammer. The sheep offered by us on account of Messrs G. E. Rhodes (Christchurch), A. J". ■Stone-Wigg. W. Howard Booth, £L R. Lancaster and others, showed exceptionally good quality, and both ire studs and flocks some very high prices were realised, competition in many instances being very keen. It was at times rather noticeable that only fair, and in some cases, inferior sheep sold at rather better parity of value than the good sheep. .Some*of our principal stales in Southdowns were as under:—

We topped the market in stud Southdowns with 22$ guineas for a ram on account of Mr G. E. Rhodes, of Canterbury.

•Stud Southdowns. On account G. EL Rhodes, Canterbury: ] at 22$ gns, 2 at 21 gns, 1 at 18 gns, 1 at 13 gas. Average 19-3 gns. Account of W. Howard Booth, Carterton: lat 22 gns, lat 18$ gns< Average 21 i gns. Flock Southdowns:— Account of CI. E. Rhodes: 3 at 7|' gns, 2 at 7 gns. Account of A. J. Stone-Wigg:: 11 at 7 gns. Account of W. Howard Booth: 1 ati 1% gns, 1 at 7$ .gns, 2 at 1\ gns, 6 at 7 gns. Average 1\ gns. Account S. R. Lancaster: 1 at 6£ gns, 6at sif gns, 6at 5$ gns, 1 at 6 gns. Average 53 gns. Account of J. Bigg, Canterbury: Iff at 6 gns. 1 at 5f gns, 2 at b\ gns," 7 at •5 gns. Average o£gns. Account J. McKenzie (bred by TL Dowling): 5 at 5$ gns, 2 at 5$ gns, 6" at 5 gns, 1 at 4f gns. Average sgus. Account Bland Rayner: 1 at 5 gns, 1 at 4| gns. Account James McAra : 2 ,at 3$ gns, 1 at 33 gns. Lincolns.—Competition for sheep, showing quality was good, and satisfactory sales -were effected. Inferior rams were unsaleable, and a 'mumber of pens were turned out unsold. In our entry we had sheep from most of 'the best flocks in the district, -and some very sound, prices, were realised. Locally bred sheep; were more sought, after than outside entries. In studs* our principal sales were as under:— Account of Wm. Perrv: fat ' 33, 1 at 30, 1 at 27, 1 at 20 'gns. Average 27 gns. Account McMaster Trustees: lat l«i, 1 at 17$, 1 at 17. 1 at 14, 1 at 12 gns. Average £l6 12s. Account Bland Rayner: lat 11$ gns. Account William Rayner: 1 at 10, I at 9 gns. .Account J. W. Comnton: lat 9 gns Flock Lincolns:— Account McMaster's Estate: sat 8 gns. o at 7 gns. Average 7f gns. Account Sir W. C. Buchanan, M.P. •5 at 7} gns, o at 5 ens. Account Percy Bros: 1.0 at 5J- gn.s. Account Wm." Perry: Up to 6$ gns. Account Wm. Rayner.: 1 at sf, 1 at ss, 5 at 4tgns. Account T. C. and A. E. Withell: 60 rams at from 3 to 5 gns. Account Donald's Estate: 5 at 3gns. ..:

The fa ; r will be continued to-day, when Romneys. Shropshires, and will be offered.