EIGHTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IX. 403 



a great many farmers use them on their farm mares to give size to the 

 progeny. Taken as a whole, considering numbers, quality and absence of 

 "tail enders," this year's showing should be considered superior to that 

 of 1906. 



THE CLYDESDALES. 



Among the Clydes, as last year, were numbered many very good, use- 

 ful animals, which would undoubtedly have won in much stronger com- 

 pany. Some mighty weighty individuals were entered, as shown by the 

 fact that some of these entries in the breeding classes were shown in 

 draft classes, and carried off the lion's share of the ribbons. A Clyde 

 of weight, with the style of the breed, when shown in heavy work harness, 

 is as pretty a picture as lovers of heavy horses would care to see. W. V. 

 Hixon, of Marengo, an Iowa breeder, had some very good entries. ■ His 

 horses competed quite favorably with the cream of the outside firms. 

 Some old familiar horses of last year's fair circuit were here, but not 

 always were they so fortunate as then. The judge, Robt. Ogilvie, of Chi- 

 cago, fixed the rings according to his usual satisfactory custom. 



PEBCHKRONS. 



While not advertised as the attraction of this year's fair, as was the 

 case last year, the showing of the French breed was in some ways su- 

 perior to that of a year ago. In 1906 the stallion classes were larger and 

 in most cases the competition was more keen, although the judge stated 

 that the class of three-year-old stallions was the most difficult one he had 

 ever passed on. This year's most prominent feature in Percheron division 

 was the excellent showing made in the mare classes. Not only were they 

 good from point of numbers, but they were of a higher class than at 

 previous Iowa fairs. Not all the firms which showed last year came 

 back, but their places were creditably filled by new ones. Messrs. Burgess 

 & Son of Wenona, 111., and Trumans' Pioneer Stud Farm, of Bushnell, III., 

 both of whom have been well known exhibitors of Clydesdales and Shires, 

 were here with excellent individuals of the Percheron breed. Another 

 newcomer was the Singmaster firm, from Keota, Iowa. These firms brought 

 over an excellent importation this season and made a good bid for honors 

 in nearly every class. The Keota firm are not strictly newcomers, but 

 have not shown in recent fairs. H. G. McMillan, Iowa's old, reliable 

 breeder, from Rock Rapids, deserves special mention for his excellent 

 string of home-bred animals, particularly his mares. Nebraska and Min- 

 nesota, in addition to Iowa and Illinois, were also well represented. Alex 

 Galbraith, of Janesville, Wis., did the judging and was busily engaged 

 throughout the entire three days. The Perpherons were the only breed 

 which lasted through the three days of the horse judging. Almost a hun- 

 dred head made up the showing of this breed, lacking but two of the 

 round hundred. 



The English horses did not come up to the other heavier breeds in 

 point of number and several classes had only one entry, but quality never 

 was higher. The aged stallion class was strong. 



