794 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



fair. There were 21 exhibitors of Shropshires including many Iowa breed- 

 ers and their feeling naturally ran high, for competition was keen. The 

 lion's share of awards was won by Chandler Bros., Chariton, la., on a 

 very choice collection of imported and home-bred stock. Geo. McKerrow 

 & Son, Pewaukee, Wis., and Elmendorf Farm, Lexington, Ky., also had 

 sheep of exceptional quality, making the judge's task a very difficult one, 

 and they shared conspicuously in the prizes. 



Mr. Beattie insisted upon low-set compact vigorous Shropshires with 

 the short wide heads, short thick ears and the complete face covering 

 that distinguish the breed. Some exhibitors felt that in a few cases he 

 sacrificed weight to some extent, but he stated that he considered the 

 compact, medium-sized smooth active Shropshire to be the best farm 

 sheep and the nearest approach to market standards as well as the most 

 uniformly prepotent. Both of the open classes for yearlings brought out 

 rings with a number at the top which would be a distinct credit in an 

 International show. In the yearling ram class the decision was very 

 close between first and second places, yet the winner for Chandler Bros, 

 was so well supported by additional members of the same flock that the 

 judge considered the pen of yearling rams exhibited by this firm was the 

 best to which he had ever assigned an award. The Chandler champion 

 ewe was commended by him as one of the best he had ever seen. 



The exhibition of Shropshires bred by American and Iowa breeders 

 was far ahead of anything seen at Des Moines heretofore. Next to Chand- 

 ler Bros., J. S. Fawcett & Son and O. H. Peasley & Son had the best en- 

 tries in these classes. The Chandler first-prize aged ewe in the Iowa 

 class was good enough to be included in the champion flock in the open 

 classes. In other years the prizes in the Iowa classes have frequently 

 gone to sheep of indifferent breed type and shown in field condition. 

 This year some of the winners in the Iowa classes got inside the money 

 in the open classes. Even the very difficult feat of bringing out a home- 

 bred ram lamb to compare favorably with the imported contingent was 

 accomplished by Chandler Bros., whose first-prize lamb in the Iowa class 

 stood fourth in the class open to all exhibitors. 



The Oxford competition lay between Geo. McKerrow & Sons, Pewaukee, 

 Wis., and Cooper & Nephews in the open classes, while John Graham, F. 

 T. Lawton and C. C. Croxen furnished the entries for the Iowa special 

 classes. McKerrow won both championships on a compact low-set meaty 

 pair, much larger than they looked, although they lacked the extreme 

 range of frame, which has sometimes been selected by American judges. 

 Although the Oxfords were not numerous, the character of the entries 

 was of the best, representing as it did two flocks of international reputa- 

 tion. 



Hampshires made a very impressive show, as the McKerrow and Cooper 

 & Nephews sheep found successful rivals from the flock of Renk Bros., 

 Sun Prairie, Wis. It was the best collection of Hampshires ever seen in 

 Iowa. It is a great credit to the work of Renk Bros., to secure as they 

 did both of the championships and the flock prize in such company. 

 Their ram especially is a strong, short-necked masculine, muscular fellow 



