THE SHOW.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 7371, 19 November 1898, Page 4

THE SHOW.

NORTH OTAGO AGRICULTURAL AND PASTORAL ASSOCIATION. SECOND~DAY. The Show of 1898, the thirty-sixth held by the North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association, was brought to a successful conclusion at about five o'clock yesterday. In most respects the Show will take rank with the best of its predecessors, and certainly showed no diminution of interest. There have been occasions on which the number of exhibits far exceeded those of the Show just closed, but in those days so much regard was not paid to the chances of success as in these later years, and consequently the entry lists were swelled by many animals that were not up to show form as it has come to be recognised in these critical and more calculating times. Still some classes suffar from the absence of breeders of good stock who were wont to swell the throng of exhibits, but who have apparently become content to live in the recollection of past triumphs rather than pine, like Alexander, for new worlds to conquer. Of course, these breeders must be supposed to know their own business best, but to the contemplative observer the question occurs whether it is not possible for such a policy of inactivity to lead to public forgetfulness of the very existence of these breeders, or at anyrate to their being obscured from view by the newer set of breeders coming between them and the public. But this is a digression The great fact that has to be chronicled is that the Association have scored another and a legitimate success, and thab the withdrawal of any one-time exhibitor seems but to encourage others to come forward. Possibly in a few years quite a new set of men will have replaced those who gave to the Oamara r-how its name and its fame. Already we see some of the newer race coming to the front, and in that fact there is presented ground for the confident anticipation that the future success of the Association is assured. Financially the Show which closed yesterday should prove satisfactory to the Committee; for though the attendance yesterday, as judged by the receipts at the gate, and irrespective of those entering on members' tickets, was scarcely up to that of the second day of last year, the sum taken on the two days shows a gain of about L 6. Possibly the increase might have been a little greater had it not been for the showers of rain which fell in the early part of the afternoon, when the weather, which been almost irreproachable up to then, became far from pleasant. Tli6 management of the Show was fully up to the high standard attained in past years, and all entrusted with the direction of affairs are to be complimented on the systematic manner in which they went about their work. There was no hitch of any kind, and the judging was completed in good time for the country visitors to see the finish and catch their home-going trains.

Hobses. DRAUGHTS. As we remarked yesterday, the show of draught horses was a really grand one. Tnis fact was brought out forcibly when, at the clrse of the judging, the whole of the p:'ize-taker3 were paraded. 'The spacious ring was then filled with magnificent horses, and it was a tjracd sight that was presented. It was, indeed, so grand that OBe enthusiast on the subject oi draught stock exclaimed to the writer and those standing near him, '•That's the finest show of draught ho-ses ever seen in the Southern Hemisphere,' to. which our representative mildly replied, "That's a big thing to say." "Yes, but they are a big lot of big horses," replied the enthusiast, who, feeling that he had not completely unburdened himself, added, "And just think of the lot of grand horses that did not get prizes, and that are not in the ring." These, it may be remarked, would have made a by no means meagre show, for a great many good animals had to go ticket-less that elsewhere would have secured prize?. A break was made in the judging of the draughts in order to afford the public a little diversion in the way of jumping contests. Consequently some of the sections of this clas3 were left until the close of the proceedings. Resuming our comments at the place where we left off last evening, we have first to record that three fine exhibits came forward to do batt'e for the prizes offered for horse or mare suitable for town spring dray and equal for a draught of 25 cwt. These were all shown in handsome harness, one in particular—a big chestnut gelding owned by Messrs Clark Bros.—being especially gaily caparisoned in an exceptionally showy set of harness turned out in Messrs Bodge and Jones' very best style. But Charlie—that is the horse's name—failed a bit in his trotting exhibition, and had to take i hird place, M- Peter Orr's Geordie being placed first and Mr Cruickshank's mare second. Four grand teams of three horses were shown, and the juogea marked their appreciation of their merits by closing the whole of them to be ticketted, the order of merit being—Mr Holmes' team first, Mr W. Gardiner's second, Messrs Mitchell Bros.' third, and Mr Cruickshank's fourth. The gold medal for the best entire was, for the third year in succession, awarded to Mr Gardiner's grand horse Cedric the Saxon, whose superior we may wait a sood while to see. For the gold medal for the best marc or filly there was a keen contsst between Jfr Holmes' first prize takers in the brood mare and dry mare sections Princess and Flora—the latter being ultimately accorded the distinction of champion mare. The cup for the largest number of points scored in draught horses was secured by Mr Holmes with a total of | 41, his nearest competitor being Mr W. I Gardiner, one of the new generation coming to the front, whose total was 21. JuairiSG Contests. Just aa the jumping contests wsre started there was a heavy shower of rain, which caused the grand stand and every available shelter to be rushed. But the jumping went on a'l the save. For the first event, that for hunters, there was a strong competition, and Mr Orbell's pair, Captain and Colonel, were awarded the first and second prizes respectively, Mr J. Carter's Barney being third The highest jump brought out five competitors, and bit by bit the bar was raised until sft 2in was reached, when the contest was reduced to a match between Mr W. A. Gardiner's Windsor and the Laud Company's Darkie, neither of whom, after several trials, succeeded in clearing the bar when another bar was added, and the first and second prizes were divided. Mr Orbell's Captain was third. In a subsequent trial, Mr Gardiner's cob succeeded in accomplishing the sft 3in jump. Only two competed in the jump limited to ponies not over 14 hatds high, and Mir W. A. Gardiner's representative succeeded in defeating Mr J. Hedley's Tommy, the contest between the pair affording a great deal of interest to the younger portion of the large concourse of spectators who withstood the damping influence of the rain. The following is the remaining portion of the prize-list:— Hobses. j DRAUGHTS. Hor3e or mare suitable for town spring j dray, and equal to a draft of 25cwt, 3 entries -Peter Orr 1, Win. Cruickshank 2, Uarke Bros. 3 Three-horse team, 5 entries—J. S. Holmes 1, Wm. Gardiner 2, Mitchell Bros. 3, Wm. Cruicksbank c Best entire horse in the yard, 4 entries— Wm. Gardiner, Cedric the fcaxon Best mare or filly in the yard, 2 entries— J. s. Holmes, Flora HACKS, HT7NTEBS, AND PONIES. Judges : J M'Ghie, Dunedin ; A'ex. Boyle, Christohurch. Stewards: Messrs Gardiner (jun.), J. Backley, W. W. Wylie. Hunter, to jump, weight of rider to be not under 11 stone, 8 entries—Allan S. Orbell 1 and 2, John Carter 3 Hack, highest jump, weight of rider to be not under 11 stone, 6 entries —William A. Gardiner and Land Company equal 1, Allan S. Orbell 3 Pony {mare or gelding) 14 hands or under, to jump, 3 entries—William A. Gardiner l t James Hedley 2 Cups and Pieces of Pi-ate A piece of plate, cup, or money, to the value of 15 guineas, will be given to' the largest prize-taker in Class I—Draught horbss, J. S. Holmes Private Prizes. Meiers Hodge and Jones, saddlers, offer pair of winker-, v»lue 255, for best 3-year-old draught filly—J. S. Holmes Mr John Buckloy offers LI Is for hunper o jump (second day)—A, S. Otboll

Mr John Buckley offers LI Is for highest hack jump (second day)—W. -A. Gardiner and Land Company divide Mr J. R. Sewell, chemist, offers value 10s 6d for highest hack jump (second day)—W. A. Gardiner and Land Company divide.