256 The Dog Book 



challenge class for other than black or liver; Bell Boy, second in open 

 black dogs; Woodland Princess, second to Baby Ruth in open bitches, 

 black; Rideau Reine, third in the same class; Red Robin and Derby, first 

 and second in open, red or liver dogs; third going to the Canadian bred, 

 but New York owned, Cardinal; Fannie and Red Beauty, first and second 

 in red or liver bitches; Woodland Bessie, second in the open class for any 

 other colour; Bell Boy and Red Robin, first and second in dog puppies; 

 and Woodland Princess, first in bitch puppies. There was no gainsaying 

 the strong lead of the Canadians on that occasion, and of course many 

 commendations were secured in addition to those prominent winnings. 

 At that show Mr. W. T. Payne was successful in what he subsequently 

 made his specialty, the partico lours, winning with Tonita. 



With the change in classification so that dogs could be shown in more 

 than one class, and the showing of good dogs thus becoming more remuner- 

 ative, spaniels took on a new lease of life, and the number of exhibitors 

 was added to by the accessions of Mr. Bloodgood's Mepal Kennels, the 

 Brookside Kennels, Mr. Edwin W. Fiske's Mount Vernon Kennels, and 

 Mrs. Warner's Belle Isle Kennels, of Detroit. The Canadians had no 

 longer such a run of success as they had lately enjoyed, and there was a 

 splitting up of the prizes, with the Americans getting their share of the 

 honours. Mr. Douglas was, however, still able to hold his own, and in 

 1897 brought out Black Duke's son Premier, with which he captured first 

 in the open class at New York in 1898. He also won with Ono in the 

 junior class from that dog's sire Omo. The Swiss Mountain Kennels 

 was also a good winner with Cupid S., Banner Mattie, and Banner Rita 

 (the latter by the home-bred Champion Goldie S.). Mr. Bloodgood, though 

 holding out Baby Ruth, was able to take first and second in the open class 

 with Little Egypt and Mepal's Opal; and another first went to Mepal's 

 Cleo. It was this good lot of bitches which laid the foundation for so 

 much success with the Mepals in more recent years. Mr. Payne was now 

 showing that beautiful little particolour Blue Bells II., which set the standard 

 as to what the markings of a black and white particolour should be. 



Mr. Bloodgood donned the ermine at New York in 1899, and this 

 put the Mepal dogs out of competition. Premier had changed hands, and 

 so had little Ono, and they were great rivals all through the year. Here 

 they were placed as mentioned, but it was always a question as to condition 

 between them, unless the judge preferred the neater-built little Ono, for 



