322 IOWA DEPARTMEXT OF AGRICULTURE 



other breeds, demonstrated only again the popularity of this showing of 

 colts and fillies. A healthy indication of the horse breeding trend was 

 shown by the relatively smaller number of imported horses, compared 

 with fairs some years ago, that competed for the largest money. Iowa 

 may continue to hold her exalted position in the horse raising world, 

 and in addition, contribute an increasingly larger quota of the breeding 

 stock for the corn belt and contiguous states. This year, in all classes 

 of horses and mules, slightly over 900 animals were exhibited, the best 

 record in the history of the fair. 



PERCHERONS. 



The Percheron is at present the most popular of all draft breeds in 

 this country and the numbers of Percherons shown at Des Moines is a 

 fitting tribute to the breed. "Never before was such a showing of 

 young Percherons assembled at one show in America," was the senti- 

 ment of some of the men in a position to know, and never before was 

 there such an assemblage of really good yearling stallions and mares 

 in this country. 



The futurity classes in the Percherons were the real sensational fea- 

 tures of the horse show, and served to demonstrate that Americans can 

 breed a good string of yearling Percherons when they receive the proper 

 encouragement and set about to accomplish results. The futurity works 

 good in many directions. The small scale breeder or farmer breeder is 

 encouraged to grow his colts and fillies at a time in the animal's life 

 when growth means so much and when most farmers neglect the animal. 

 Young horses which are really meritorious are often hid away and not 

 developed simply because they are not shown. The futurity brings them 

 into the limelight. Not only will the good be reflected toward the farmer, 

 but the demand for good stallions will help the importing business due 

 to the stimulus given the man who wishes horses to breed from. 



Mr. Wm. Bell, of Woostcr, Ohio, who awarded all the prizes in the open 

 classes, and in the futurity classes, was assisted by Sen. T. B. White, of 

 Leesburg, Virginia. 



The yearling stallion class brought out eighteen good colts and it was 

 no easy task to place them. Principal, a massive, growthy, and well 

 balanced and well formed colt with good movement, from Ethelwood 

 Farm, Mondovi, Wis., was finally placed at the top of the list — a placing 

 in accord with the opinion of horse fanciers. The yearling filly class 

 was the strongest filly class ever seen at an American show. Thirty- 

 three were brought forward, and here was a case of quantity and quality 

 combined. Conceorous, a black filly of wonderful conformation, was 

 selected to head the list. There was hardly a place one might fault 

 her, and it is certainly a credit to her breeder, Mr. J. A. Buswell, of 

 Bradford, Illinois, that such fillies can be produced in America. One of 

 the advantages of the futurity is that there are many prizes offered so 

 that one need not feel that he must be a larger breeder to compete. 



In aged stallion classes, Jcun, a large l)lack, with plenty of scale, and 

 well balanced with a great back and rib, was placed over Jorat. Koran, 

 the winner in the three-year-old class, is a remarkable horse of great 



