674 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



without difficulty at Sedalia the previous week, winning first place in the 

 aged class and the senior championship. To achieve these honors in the 

 formidable company with which she appeared on this' occasion is another 

 bright laurel in her elaborate crown. There were rivals in her class which 

 subjected the celebrated matron to the severest trial she ever has undergone. 

 But she is qualified for hard struggles. She is fixed for all comers. Her 

 bMlk and general make-up as a modern type of the Angus cow can not be 

 surpassed by the antagonists she met last week. L. McWhorter, of Illinois, 

 made the awards. In aged bulls of this breed W. A. McHenry's Western 

 Star, a noted winner last season, had little difficulty in taking premier posi- 

 tion, though C. J. Martin's Juba of Morlich, another 1903 prize-winner of 

 much note, showed to fine advantage in the collection. Every class con- 

 tained from six to fifteen entries representing about half a dozen of the best 

 Angus herds in America. It was freely conceded that the beef cattle show 

 was made by the "doddies." Nearly every ring contained three or four out- 

 standing show animals, fitted to a nicety and shown to perfection, for Angus 

 herdsmen are experts. 



All the judging of cattle proceeded in the big pavilion and when the larger 

 classes were simultaneously undergoing judicial review spectators enjoyed a 

 cattle show which never has been equalled at Des Moines. Angus, Short- 

 horns, Galloways, Red Polls and Jerseys were judged at the same time and 

 a noisy band played. It is somewhat strange that band music should be 

 provided in the pavilion. It certainly serves no useful purpose, but on the 

 other hand keeps high-strung dairy cattle twisting and nervous all the time 

 they are on exhibition. Music is not needed to attract Iowa farmers to the 

 pavilion. They are sufficiently interested in live stock to spend much of 

 their time in the pavilion without such solicitation. The average band heard 

 at State fairs is unendurable anyway. It is to be hoped that band music 

 will hereafter be kept out of the live stock pavilion. 



Shorthorns were shown by W. F. Christian & Son, E. W. Bowen and 

 Hill & Anderson of Indiana; H. S. Bright of Kentucky; F. W. Harding of 

 Wisconsin; C. S. Barclay, R. E. Watts & Sons, J. B. Brown, C. W. Mc- 

 Dermott, C. A. Saunders, H. D. Parsons, G. H. Burge and other Iowa 

 breeders. While the exhibit was not weak in numbers it lacked quality and 

 showyard character. Only one or two classes uncovered genuinely good 

 ones. Yearling heifers constituted a strong display and the heifer calves 

 showed well. Prof. C. F. Curtiss of the Iowa State College made the 

 awards, to the general satisfaction of exhibitors. Mr. Harding's massive 

 white bull Whitehall Sultan was first in the aged class and senior champion. 

 Fair Queen owned by Mr. Bowen won the senior female championship. Mr. 

 Bright presented a very showy lot of cattle and was a frequent winner. This 

 was his first appearance in a Northern showring. It is expected that a 

 recording-breaking Shorthorn show will occur at Hamline, Minn., this 

 week. Many of the show herds are reserving for that event, having cut out 

 Des Moines. 



Prime Lad, owned by W. S. Van Natta & Son of Indiana, was the 

 feature of the Hereford show. This beautiful bull looks better than ever be- 

 fore. His equal as a showyard proposition has rarely been seen. He was 

 of course the winner in the aged class and senior champion. As smooth as 

 an egg, fleshed uniformly and full of character this animal Is a pattern for 



