TENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XI 679 



SADDLE HORSES. 



Saddle horses were well represented with entries of such a high order 

 that every prize was hotly contested. R. E. Jones, Webster City, la., tied 

 the ribbons. The famous old time winner. Jack O'Diamond, clearly out- 

 classed the open field in performance and no one was surprised to see 

 him win the championship. In aged stallions Mack Donald and Rex 

 Chief A were set over Alexander Jester, but Jester was not well ridden. 

 He is an almost perfect horse in form and quality. Among the aged mares 

 the decision called for nice discrimination. The gray Lady Vanity is a 

 perfectly mannered, stylish-going mare, sweet-headed but rather lacking 

 in substance and drooping in the croup. Her performance won over her 

 more beautiful and stronger made competitors. Later her perfect train- 

 ing won for her in a walk, trot and canter class, which she negotiated 

 without a single break into the habitual rack. Jack O'Diamond was still 

 invincible in the combination class, but Lady Vanity followed next by 

 reason of her perfect performance in the shafts. 



BOADSTEBS. 



In the class for single roadsters Thomas Bass won first with a beauti- 

 ful, compact, strong-going chestnut gelding. Jack of Hearts, clearly out- 

 classing everything else in style and appearance, although possibly a 

 bit less speedy than some of the others. He is one of the compact, en- 

 during kind. Chas. C. Judy was second and J. R. Peak & Son were third 

 with a mare Florence. O. J. Mooers was fourth with the speedy Duke-o'- 

 Bells. When pairs were called, the judge, W. A. Dobson, was given a 

 good exhibition, although one likely-looking pair. Jack of Hearts and his 

 mate, were barred on a technicality. The pairs each drove well together, 

 but some were not closely matched. In the final line-up J. R. Peak and 

 Sons got first and fourth prizes; Chas. C. Judy, second, and O. J. Mooers, 

 third. Champion stallion, mare or gelding — Peak on Tommy Doyle. 



SHETLAND PONIES. 



The Shetland Pony classes were well filled, the number of entries being 

 unusually large. While some of the largest exhibits were from points 

 outside the state, yet the most of the animals shown were small entries 

 from many farms within the state. Some classes were unusually large as 

 for instance the aged mare class which brought thirty-four into the ring. 

 It is generally admitted that the pony will never have a competitor in 

 the auto, as the latter is the exclusive property of the larger folks and 

 the pony is likewise the exclusive property and companion of the little 

 folks. Consequently the interest in this section is constantly increasing 

 and gathering strength. 



To occupy the field fully, however, there is much yet to be said to induce 

 the breeders to pay more attention to the action. The old fashioned Shet- 

 land Pony, coarse, stout and slow-moving, must give way to the more mod- 

 ern type especially in the matter of action. The straight-knee action in 

 front with the spreading cow-hocked action behind will not do. The Shet- 

 lands now have the field to themselves and if some pains are taken to 



