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Acton and Wakanui carried much the largest numbers of sheep during the 1860s. Moore’s flock at Wakanui was returned at 44,000 in January 1867 and from that time it remained at almost the same size. In the same year, Donald McLean, the manager, held 30,000 sheep on Acton, and in 1871 this flock had increased to 40,000. Other large flocks were those of Sir Cracroft Wilson on ‘Rangitata’, the Studholme brothers on Coldstream, John Grigg on Longbeach and, in the high country, Frederick Tooth at Clent Hills and the Walker brothers on Mount Possession. Lagmhor was a notable omission from the sheep inspectors’ reports after 1863 when the flock numbered 6000 sheep. The McLeans became famous for their strong and high fencing and perhaps even as early as 1863 their sheep were completely safe from contamination. The Lagmhor flocks may well have rivalled those of Acton and Wakanui.

Strangely enough, although Ashburton was the last part of the Canterbury plains to be settled, the first two pastoral shows in the province were held in the district. Apparently the original initiative came from South Canterbury flockowners, especially J. B. A. Acland. Nevertheless in 1859 they fixed on a site north of the Rangitata River—Benjamin Moorhouse’s Shepherds Bush homestead near trees below the northern terrace of the river. They hoped thus to induce northern runholders to compete. Moreover, Christchurch newspapers gave the project considerable advertisement and support. Twenty-eight pens of sheep were exhibited and South Canterbury competitors and Edward Chapman and George W. Hall of the local runholders secured most of the prizes. It seems that only two men living north of the Rakaia had any success, one being Benjamin Dowling whose run, later called ‘Heslerton’, lay just across that river. He secured the award for the five finest woolled imported ewes of any age. The function was a success; there were many spectators for whom the hospitable

1. ↑ A. Cox, Recollections 1884, p.102, 103