FOURTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IV. 351 



when these colts are yearlings past. Prizes amounting to large sums, 

 besides trophies, are given. The first prize iu several breeds receives over 

 $2 00. A committee of three does the awarding in each breed. These 

 contests have worked wonders among American draft horse breeders. 

 Such prizes give an incentive not only to breed the best, but to feed 

 and care for them as well. This year there were many entries in each 

 breed, and the contest was at a high pitch upon Tuesday while the 

 judging was going on. 



MORGAX HORSES. 



The little historic Morgan may yet come into his own. The Iowa 

 people persist in offering premiums for this once famous strain of light 

 horses, and each year witnesses a goodly number of them on hand. 

 This year there was a large display, there being twelve aged stallions, 

 and the other classes were proportionately large. Needless to say, 

 there was a wide variance in the types of the entries. In the mature 

 stallions there were blocky little 1,100-pound individuals and there 

 were rangy coachers weighing upwards of 1,400 pounds. Two years 

 ago a Hackney breeder did the judging. He picked for action, irrespec- 

 tive of other qualifications aside from quality. 



Last year George Rommell of the United States department of 

 animal industry pinned the ribbons. His work in breeding Morgans at 

 the Vermont experiment farm gave him a type to work for. The 

 breeders were satisfied that he was adhering to what they called a 

 correct type. This, in spite of the fact that he placed a stallion first 

 in the aged class which the year before had won nothing, showing 

 against the same horses. This year J. O. Williams, the government 

 horse breeder at Fort Collins, Colo., did the judging. It is indeed a 

 pleasure to say that he picked consistently for the same type that Mr. 

 Rommell did. Pessimists who last year said there was no Morgan 

 type because the judge did not pick the same each year, were compelled 

 to withdraw their grievance. But few boys have been reared on the 

 farm the last century who have not received an early appreciation of 

 Morgan horses from some wiry little animal which their fathers pro- 

 claimed to be of Morgan stock. 



MULE SHOW. 



Missouri has always claimed chief honors in the breeding of hybrids. 

 If one can judge by the exhibits of Iowa-raised donks at Des Moines 

 there will be keen competition between the two states for this honor 

 in the future. Just imagine a 7-year-old brown mare mule weighing 

 1,900 pounds! Another white mule weighing 1,650 pounds secured 

 championship honors over all the grounds. This animal was pro- 

 nounced the best mule ever displayed at Des Moines by the judge, W. A. 

 Dobson. His legs were as clean and qualitated as those of a thorough- 

 bred. His white hoofs stood squarely under him and in size compared 

 favorably with those of a medium sized draft horse. Another extra 

 good mule was an iron gray 18-months-old colt which weighed 1,150 

 pounds. He was framy, heavy-boned, large jointed and Incidentally 

 well eared. There were many others of merit of which Iowa might 

 well be proud. 



