MR. ALFRED BUCKLAND'S ANNUAL SHEEP FAIR,

Waikato Times, Volume VIII, Issue 427, 11 February 1875, Page 2

MR. ALFRED BUCKLAND'S ANNUAL SHEEP FAIR,

For some time past breeilers and raisers of sheep have been anxiously looking forward to Mr Alfred Buck land's annual sTieep fair which was commenced to-day at the Remuera Sale Yards. Only ewes and lambs were offered for public competition, and therefore more interest is concentrated in the sale to-mor-row, when the rams and ram. lambs will be sold by auction. The quality of the exhibits to-day were certainly not of the best. Several excelleat judges present described them as merely " culls " from the flocks of various owners, and not fliir samples of the sheep that the province can produce. If any complaint can be made regaining the quality certainly none can be expressed regarding the quantity i of the exhibits, which numbered over 10,000. ' There was a very large attendance of buyers present. In Row No I the most admired were lots Nos 17, 18 and 19, containing twenty two-toothed ewes, twenty four and six tooth ewes, and twenty ditto respectively. These were the property of Mr T. Hen wood. In Row No 2 there was nothing calling for particular notice ; but lots 4 and 5 of fifty long-wooiled ewes each wore most fancied. Row No 3 contained three hundred four and six tooth ewes, the property of Mr A,. Dilworlh, aud one hundred long-wooiled ewos, the property of Mr E. Roose, of fair quality, the others being but medium. Row No 4 called for no special mention, the exhibits being for the greater part " culls " from the several flocks as before mentioned. In Row No 5 100 half-bred ewes, owned by Scott Brothers, and a like number offered by Mr B. Maclean, were of excellent quality, and elicited hiuh encomiums from several connoisseurs present. Row No 6 contained five pens exhibited by Mr A. K. Taylor, as follows : — Thirty two-toothed long woolled ewes, thirty two-toothed long-woolled ewes, twenty four-tootlied long-woolled ewes, thirty six-tooth long-woolled ewes, and thirty six-toothed long-woolled ewes. These were unmistakably good and far superior to the remainder in the row. In Row No 7 700 long-woolled ewes, the property of Mr R. J. Taylor, were specially noticed as fine useful sheep. In Row No. 8, Mr R. Wallace's three lots of long. woolled ewes, in all 150, were highly thought of by those present. lv Rows No 9, 10 and 11 there was nothing worth special notice. Taking the Fair in all, although numerically superior to that of last year, yet in point of quality it was somewhat behind. — '• Echo," Tuesday.