TWELFTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XI 543 



HORSES. 



The horse show was marked by a splendid exhibit of Percherons and 

 Belgians, with Clydes and Shires about up to their usual standard. A 

 coming feature that will grow stronger each year is the show of draft 

 geldings and mares. With the possibilities that Iowa has in this line, 

 the state fair ought eventually to develop into one of the grandest shows 

 of draft farm breds that can be found anywhere. The fancy six and four- 

 horse teams do not occupy the principal places now. It is the single ani- 

 mal or pair that furnishes the sensations. 



The breeders' futurities in Percherons, Belgians, Shires and Clydes- 

 dales attracted considerable attention among those who are interested in 

 seeing better drafters bred here in our own country. The thoroughbred 

 principle is applied, but refers to winnings before judges instead of ether 

 performance. The premiums were large and were certainly well worth 

 trying for. Their total values, including cups and prizes offered for 

 get of certain stallions, were: Percherons, $1330'; Clydesdales, $.500; 

 Shires, $720; Belgians, $715. The money was contributed by the Live 

 Stock World, of Chicago, J. H. S. Johnstone, of that paper, being the 

 originator of the scheme, the fair association and individual breeders. 

 The show this fall was of foals dropped in 1910, entries having been 

 closed on December 31, 1910. It is proposed to extend it to mare foals 

 for next year if the showing this year has been considered successful. 



Light horses made an unusually strong show this year, the standard 

 breds, saddlers and ponies being especially good. The automobile and 

 poor markets neither one caused much diminishing of the quality of the 

 horse show. 



Strong classes ruled in nearly all breeds and every judge found his 

 work requiring the most careful and painstaking work. Jacks and mules 

 made a strong attraction on Saturday and it was a pity more of the visit- 

 ors could not have seen them in competition. The Shetland show was 

 marred by a disagreement between the judge and some of the exhibitors, 

 but there was nothing poor about the number or high excellence of stock 

 brought out. These little fellows will always be popular and some beauties 

 came before Mr. Stericker for awards. 



PEBCHEBONS. 



That the Percheron horse is popular in Iowa was again proven by the 

 size and general excellence of the exhibit of the breed, the major portion 

 of which was recruited from Iowa stables. Compared with the assem- 

 blages of the other draft breeds, the Percheron display was much the 

 largest, indicating the relative esteem in which the breed is held by the 

 farmers in the heart of the corn belt. Iowa breeders, moreover, are not 

 depending altogether upon importations for their show animals — to a 

 very large extent they are breeding them. Time and again they have 

 demonstrated that as good draft horses can be raised in Iowa as in La 

 Perche or, for that matter, in any other place in the world. Conditions 

 here are near ideal for the production of drafters of size and quality. An 



