▁fair ▁grounds ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁Rand ▁Show , ▁which ▁was ▁opened ▁with ▁pom p ▁and ▁circumst ance ▁by ▁State ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Republic ▁Paul ▁Kru ger ▁and ▁a ▁guard ▁of ▁honor ▁including ▁ 5 0 ▁armed ▁citizens ▁including ▁Field ▁Cor net ▁Meyer . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁foundation ▁meeting , ▁Meyer ▁was ▁named ▁Deput y ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Society , ▁a ▁role ▁he ▁held ▁off ▁and ▁on ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 . ▁To ▁Meyer , ▁the ▁Society ▁played ▁another ▁key ▁role : ▁a ▁force ▁for ▁impro ving ▁relations ▁between ▁Bo ers ▁and ▁English - spe akers . ▁At ▁some ▁time ▁before ▁the ▁Second ▁Bo er ▁War , ▁he ▁res igned ▁as ▁Deput y ▁President , ▁only ▁rejo ining ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 0 7 . ▁On ▁the ▁e ve ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 8 ▁exhibition , ▁he ▁stern ly ▁advoc ated ▁for ▁continued ▁government ▁invol vement ▁and ▁better ▁advoc acy ▁for ▁Trans va al ▁cattle ▁bre eding . ▁ ▁Meyer ▁opposed ▁the ▁state ▁itself ▁compet ing ▁for ▁pri zes ▁and ▁cu ps ▁before ▁ordinary ▁far mers ▁had ▁a ▁chance ▁to ▁do ▁so . ▁Therefore , ▁government ▁entries ▁could ▁only ▁get ▁certific ates ▁for ▁the ▁highest ▁awards . ▁Care ▁was ▁also ▁taken ▁to ▁price ▁locally ▁b red ▁liv est ock ▁fairly . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 0 , ▁Meyer ▁was ▁re elect ed ▁Deput y ▁President . ▁ ▁The ▁provision ▁of ▁refresh ments ▁proved ▁another ▁major ▁problem . ▁Meyer ▁don ated ▁an ▁already ▁built