SOME ENGLISH BREED-BUILDERS 87 



other good ones. Thomas Rea bred among other im- 

 pressive sires from Sir Benjamin, Sir Richard 

 (1734) and Sir Oliver 2d (1733), champion at the 

 Worcester Royal of 1863, where he was exhibited by 

 Mr. Arkwright. This latter bull in turn was the sire 

 of Sir Richard 2d 970a "Old Dick" of American 

 Hereford history. 



The Sir Benjamin Era. Sir Benjamin was 

 clearly the successor of his sire Sir David as the pre- 

 mier stock-getter of his time, and his progeny soon 

 set still higher standards for the showring. It was 

 at the Chester Royal of 1858 that Sir Benjamin was 

 first flashed by Tom Rea upon the public. He was 

 then but two years and four months old, and had to 

 show in an aged class. He nevertheless stood second 

 to Price's five-year-old Goldfinder 2d in a class of 

 nine. His get at Westonbury and Monaughty be- 

 came the sensation of their day and at the Worces 

 ter Royal of 1863 they came to the front with a rush, 

 taking four firsts and three second prizes. 



Space will not admit of our tracing here in detail 

 the sale and showy ard triumphs of this blood ; suffice 

 it to say that a compilation of the results of the lead- 

 ing shows of the period gave rise to the assertion 

 that "Sir Benjamin was the sire of more winners 

 than any other known Hereford bull." Within a 

 very few years his immediate descendants had won 

 more than fifty Royal prizes ; three of his sons, Sir 

 Richard, Sir Oliver 2d and Sir Thomas, had won 

 Royal firsts, and the massive Queen of the Lilies, 



