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1871 2nd Year of the Ellesmere Agricultural & Pastoral Association
Description
Title1871 2nd Year of the Ellesmere Agricultural & Pastoral Association
DescriptionW.D. Lawrence, the secretary of the Ellesmere Farmers Club, advertised a meeting to be held on 6th October 1871 to make arrangements for the second show. [2 October 1871 p1 CHP]
The date of 28 December 1871 was chosen and the venue was changed to Leeston much to the dissatisfaction of some Southbridge residents. [13 October 1871 p2 CHP]
At a further meeting it was decided that all sheep must be shorn except Merinos. [18 November 1871 p2 CHP]
The classes were the same as the first show except that Merinos were added as a named breed and Dairy Produce was taken from the Southbridge Horticultural Society’s list as this society is not mentioned in subsequent shows. [9 December 1871 p3 CHP].
2nd Show 1871
The second show was a marked improvement on the first due in the main to the Ellesmere Farmers’ Club. The reporter compared the improvement at Ellesmere with a northern show which showed a gradual decline after a first great success [1871-12-29 p3 LT]
In contrast to the drought that had been felt throughout the district, welcome rain fell heavily until the dawn of show day and the clouds cleared to a glorious summer’s day.
Departments were arranged around the periphery of the paddock with a roped arena in the centre for the horses.
Again Cowan’s four-horse coach provided transport starting at 7am and set its passengers at Loe’s Hotel in three hours from Christchurch where breakfast was provided.
A large number of traps and horsemen followed up to mid-day.
The venue was a paddock at the rear of the hotel which had a level surface, was sufficiently large and had a supply of water.
On entering the ground the sheep were on the left hand extending from the gateway forward. The cattle, horses, implements, stalls and Mr Loe's liquor
The reporter noted the absence of the flower show which had greatly added to the success of the first show.
It was remarked by competent judges that the show as a whole reflected the greatest possible credit upon the district.
One reporter claimed that the “The show of sheep in all classes was exceedingly good” while another said that as a whole the sheep were an improvement on the first show and included some really first class animals, they “were not what we might have fairly expected in such a large district”. A phrase used again in subsequent years.
In contrast to the first show in cattle also the exhibits in the various classes were excellent; the competition was very keen.
“The classes for horses filled remarkably well, and a really fine show was made in every class” especially “the young draught stock”.
With pigs the show was capital and a “great credit to the province”.
The implements were “good” or “very fair”.
There were fewer exhibits in dairy produce than in the first show but the hams and bacon were very good. [29 December 1871 p2 CHP 1871-12-29 p3 LT]
The second show dinner was very similar to that of the first show in that the host was the same but the venue was Loe’s Hotel in Leeston. [1871-12-30 p3 CHP]
The prizes were paid after the Leeston stock sale at Loe’s Hotel. [24 January 1872 p1 CHP]
Mike Noonan
Ellesmere Historical Society
Date1871-72SourcePapers PastLocationLeeston
DescriptionW.D. Lawrence, the secretary of the Ellesmere Farmers Club, advertised a meeting to be held on 6th October 1871 to make arrangements for the second show. [2 October 1871 p1 CHP] The date of 28 December 1871 was chosen and the venue was changed to Leeston much to the dissatisfaction of some Southbridge residents. [13 October 1871 p2 CHP]
At a further meeting it was decided that all sheep must be shorn except Merinos. [18 November 1871 p2 CHP]
The classes were the same as the first show except that Merinos were added as a named breed and Dairy Produce was taken from the Southbridge Horticultural Society’s list as this society is not mentioned in subsequent shows. [9 December 1871 p3 CHP].
2nd Show 1871
The second show was a marked improvement on the first due in the main to the Ellesmere Farmers’ Club. The reporter compared the improvement at Ellesmere with a northern show which showed a gradual decline after a first great success [1871-12-29 p3 LT]
In contrast to the drought that had been felt throughout the district, welcome rain fell heavily until the dawn of show day and the clouds cleared to a glorious summer’s day.
Departments were arranged around the periphery of the paddock with a roped arena in the centre for the horses.
Again Cowan’s four-horse coach provided transport starting at 7am and set its passengers at Loe’s Hotel in three hours from Christchurch where breakfast was provided.
A large number of traps and horsemen followed up to mid-day.
The venue was a paddock at the rear of the hotel which had a level surface, was sufficiently large and had a supply of water.
On entering the ground the sheep were on the left hand extending from the gateway forward. The cattle, horses, implements, stalls and Mr Loe's liquor
The reporter noted the absence of the flower show which had greatly added to the success of the first show.
It was remarked by competent judges that the show as a whole reflected the greatest possible credit upon the district.
One reporter claimed that the “The show of sheep in all classes was exceedingly good” while another said that as a whole the sheep were an improvement on the first show and included some really first class animals, they “were not what we might have fairly expected in such a large district”. A phrase used again in subsequent years.
In contrast to the first show in cattle also the exhibits in the various classes were excellent; the competition was very keen.
“The classes for horses filled remarkably well, and a really fine show was made in every class” especially “the young draught stock”.
With pigs the show was capital and a “great credit to the province”.
The implements were “good” or “very fair”.
There were fewer exhibits in dairy produce than in the first show but the hams and bacon were very good. [29 December 1871 p2 CHP 1871-12-29 p3 LT]
The second show dinner was very similar to that of the first show in that the host was the same but the venue was Loe’s Hotel in Leeston. [1871-12-30 p3 CHP]
The prizes were paid after the Leeston stock sale at Loe’s Hotel. [24 January 1872 p1 CHP]
Mike Noonan
Ellesmere Historical Society
Date1871-72SourcePapers PastLocationLeestonConnections
CollectionEarly History of the Ellesmere Agricultural and Pastoral AssociationOrganisationEllesmere Historical Society
OrganisationEllesmere Historical SocietyAttribution
Researched ByMike NoonanWritten ByMike Noonan
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1871 2nd Year of the Ellesmere Agricultural & Pastoral Association (1871-72). Selwyn Stories, accessed 24/06/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/5715