274 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



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Toronto, Canada; W. A. Dobson, Des Moines, Iowa; Walter Palmer, 

 Ottawa, 111.; hunters and jumpers, George Pepper, Toronto, Canada; steeple 

 chase races, Thos. E. Wilson, Chicago, 111.; George Pepper, Toronto, 

 Canada; military horses, Gen. James Rush Lincoln, Ames, Iowa; horse- 

 shoeing contest. Dr. Jack Seiter, Libertyville, 111.; R. B. Ogilvie, Chi- 

 cago, 111. 



Of these, most are well known to our readers. Porter Taylor has come 

 into a well deserved prominence as a judge during the past two or three 

 seasons and his utter fearlessness, absolute impartiality and disregard to 

 ownership and all other considerations, excepting only individuality and 

 performance, together with his high standards of excellence, make him 

 an ideal show ring arbiter. He acted in the five gaited divisions, as 

 usual. George Pepper, of Toronto, is better known in this western 

 country as one of the most successful exhibitors than as a judge, but no 

 man has a wider fund of practical experience, from every angle of the 

 game, and his decisions were marked by careful consideration and the 

 nicest possible discrimination. How any man could be better qualified 

 is difficult to imagine, and the complete satisfaction with which his de- 

 cisions were received by all proves his fitness for such tasks. Walter 

 Palmer is easily in the front rank as a popular judge, and he fully justi- 

 fies the high esteem in which he is held by both exhibitors and manage- 

 ments. His work is conservatively, carefully and promptly done, and 

 few men have ever tied ribbons for as long a period as has the popular 

 Ottawa official and made as few questionable decisions, much less down- 

 right mistakes. Of the other judges, as judges, perhaps less is known, 

 though undoubtedly the manner of their performances here will be the 

 cause of their being requisitioned much more widely in the future for 

 their services. 



Two absolute essentials are requisite in show ring judges. One, of 

 course, is perfect impartiality and integrity which is beyond being in- 

 fluenced and the other is competent judgment and discernment comparable 

 to present day conditions. Ignorance, or incompetency of any kind, are 

 as fatal in their results as downright dishonesty or crookedness. If a 

 judge could be suspected of being "approached" every one might ha^ 

 an equal chance to get to him, but there is no protection from, nor remedy 

 for, stupidity or ignorance, and judges must be selected for their complete 

 fitness for the job. Wm. Dobson, of Des Moines, acted in pony classes 

 and in concert with Messrs. Pepper and Palmer in harness horse events. 

 For many years Mr. Dobson was the leading Western dealer in heavy 

 harness horses and probably discovered and brought out more animals 

 that later became celebrities in the show ring than any other man in the 

 business. To this astuteness show ring history owes the incomparable 

 champion. Lord Brilliant, and three of celebrated $20,000 four-in-hand 

 which Tichenor & Co. sold Alfred Vanderbilt were discovered and handled 

 by Mr. Dobson. In passing, one wonders what has become of Rustling 

 Silk, Full Dress, Polly Prim, and the others of that wonderful collection 

 that made history in the last part of the former century and the first 

 part of the present one. 



