A RANCHMAN'S RECOLLECTIONS 



ing, and the turning of the tide to young feeders. 



That was an historic event. John G. Imboden was 

 the judge. He gave us first in our district over some 

 classy L. S. calves. He gave "Gene" Grubb first in 

 his district on the twos (Shorthorns), and gave us 

 the grand championship. It will be recalled that in 

 the fat classes only threes (steers) had a look-in for 

 the grand championship in the early days of the 

 International; then it fell to twos, and today only 

 yearlings seem to have much of a chance. I stood by 

 our pens almost stunned to have beaten the mag- 

 nificent Grubb two-year-olds, and looked up to see 

 their owner rapidly approaching. His face beamed; 

 he took my hand in a regular Methodist squeeze, 

 slapped me on the back with the other, and said, 

 "With all my heart, old man, I congratulate you. It 

 was a just decision and a deserved victory." There 

 was not a trace of disappointment in his attitude. To 

 all his friends he said, "They won on their merits. 

 If I had been judging the cattle myself I should have 

 placed the ribbon the same way." 



I do not think that John Imboden has ever been in 

 a harder place. He had two perfect loads in dif- 

 ferent classes to pass on, and I have always felt that 

 his decision was made on his early recognition of 

 the drift to younger cattle. But what of Grubb, who 

 lost in what seemed a foregone conclusion? A good 

 loser, a sport like that, is real, and he writes his own 

 character in letters that "he who runs may read." 



[i88] 



