20 



diploma and a gratuity of i to the man who fed and 

 attended each first prize animal or pen of animals. This is 

 a revival of the system in practice in 1800, when a guinea 

 was presented to the servant of each successful competitor. 



Naturally the year which saw the centenary of the Club 

 caused a special interest to attach to the Show of 1898. In 

 1897 Sir Walter Gilbey was able to announce that H.R.H. 

 the Prince of Wales had accepted the Presidency of the 

 Club for the centenary year. Alterations and great additions 

 were made to the Prize List, the amount of which was the 

 largest ever offered, and a special centenary medal bearing 

 the profile of His Royal Highness the President, was ordered 

 to be struck for the occasion. It was resolved that silver 

 medals with suitable inscriptions be awarded to the 

 exhibitors and breeders of each prize animal, or pen of 

 animals, and a silver medal to the exhibitor, and a gold 

 medal to the breeder of each breed cup winner. 



In another direction also the attractions of the prize 

 list were increased. In 1894 Her Majesty the Queen 

 honoured the Club by the presentation of a magnificent 

 Challenge Cup, value 150, for the best beast in the Show, 

 bred by the exhibitor, the Cup to be held for one year 

 the Club's gold medal being also awarded to the annual 

 winner but to be won two years in succession, or three 

 years at intervals, before becoming the actual property 

 of the winner. For the Show of 1898 H.R.H. the Prince 

 of Wales graciously offered a Challenge Cup of the value 

 of 100, for the best pen of sheep or lambs in the Show, 

 and H.R.H. the Duke of York another Challenge Cup, 

 of the value of 50, for the best pen of pigs, to be 

 awarded upon similar conditions to those governing the 

 award of Her Majesty's Challenge Cup. So that the 

 Club possessed for its Centenary Show, three Challenge 

 Cups, presented respectively, by three generations of the 

 Royal Family.* 



*We subjoin technical descriptions of these beautiful cups: 



HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN'S CUP. A tall, chased cup and cover 

 with boss ornament, bull's head handles, finely chased bas relief of 

 fighting bulls on one side, ornamental shield on reverse, surmounted by 

 model of Devon bull. 



H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES'S CUP. A richly chased ewer in 

 Italian style, with subject from Orlando Furioso, " Rogers delivers 

 Angelico from the sea monster," on one side, and Royal Arms on 

 reverse. 



H.R.H, THE DUKE OF YORK'S CUP. A small, part fluted pilgrim's 

 bottle, with ornamental chains. ' 



