H. J. Andrew

Mr. H. J. Andrew of Maheno, North Otago, has been awarded the Bledisloe Medal for 1939. This medal is awarded annually to an Old Student of Canterbury Agricultural College who, by virtue of his training a t the College, has materially assisted agriculture in New Zealand or has otherwise forwarded the country's interests.

This Medal, accompanied by an endowment fund, was presented to the Board of Governors of Canterbury Agricultural College in 1929 by His Excellency Lord Bledisloe. The Board of Governors, after considering the recommendations of the Old Students' Association, make the award.

Mr H. J. Andrew was born at Springston, Canterbury and received his early education at Southbridge. In 1913 he entered Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, and remained in residence for a little over two years when it became necessary for him to commence farming on his father's farm at Maheno, North Otago. During his stay at the College, Mr. Andrew took an active part in student activities and was a member of the 1st XV.

In 1914 his essay entitled '"The most Suitable Grasses and other plants for permanent  pasture on the various classes of land on the Canterbury Plains" gained the prize presented by the Old Students' Association for the best essay written by a student  at  the  College. He also gained prizes in practical agriculture and it seems that his early aptitude for the growing of foodstuffs and the feeding of stock has been fully developed in his later career.

In 1915 Mr Andrew commenced farming and it was in that year that the Punchbowl Southdown flock was founded. Amongst his first purchases were 13 ewes from his grandfather, the late Mr Henry Pannett, of Springston, Canterbury. This flock had been founded in 1876 and was one of the first registered Southdown flocks in the N.Z. Flock Book. Although Mr. Andrew’s chief interest has been in improving the Southdown breed of sheep in New Zealand, in addition he also maintains a flock of English Leicesters and also Ryelands. Roth these latter breeds have achieved high awards at Metropolitan Shows. The show records and sales, more particularly of the Southdowns, place Mr. Andrew in a leading position in New Zealand as a stud master.

For more than twenty years the Punchbowl Southdowns have been exhibited at the Christchurch A. & P. Shows. Mr. Andrew's ability can be gauged, in part, from the fact that the shield for most points in Southdowns, which has been in competition since 1925, has the name of H. J. Andrew inscribed on it twelve times and in two of these years he was not a competitor. The Punchbowl Southdowns have likewise met with outstanding successes at the Royal Shows. Mr. Andrew has gained the Championship award' for both the Southdown ram and also the ewe at each of the Royal A. & P. Shows for the last five years. He has imported Southdown sheep from both England and Australia while there is a keen demand for his own sheep throughout N.Z. and some have been exported to Australia and South America.

Mr. Andrew is probably the most successful breeder of stud sheep who has passed through Lincoln College and few men in the Dominion seem to have his genius for mating and feeding sheep to develop the type desired in a flock.

In North Otago, where he has farmed since he left the College, Mr. Andrew has allied himself with organisations endeavouring to foster farming interests. He has been, for a number of years a member of the North Otago A. & P. Association, occupying the Presidential Chair seven years ago. For a number of years he has been a member of the Council of the Southdown Sheep Society of New Zealand, and was President in the years 1931 and 1932. He has also been a representative of North Otago on the Council of the N.Z. Sheep Breeders' Association. Mr. H. J. Andrew is a highly esteemed citizen on account of his integrity and his ability as a farmer and a breeder' of stud sheep.