From a sketch by R. H. Moore, for Spratfs Patent, Ltd. 



" DOG SHOWS AS THEY WERE 



DOG SHOWS 



CHAPTER I 



The First Dog Show on Record (Newcastle^on'Tyne) and 

 Show at Birmingham 



As I am sure the vast majority of those interested in " Our Mutual 

 Friend " the Dog at the present day have no knowledge of the 

 state of affairs in the early days of dog shows, I propose in this 

 chapter to say something about the very first dog shows of which 

 any record can be given. The one claiming to be the first ever 

 held anywhere was in the Town Hall at Newcastle-on-Tyne, on 

 June 28th and 29th, 1859, one of the founders of which, Mr. J. 

 Shorthose, so well known as a successful breeder and exhibitor of 

 Setters, was not long since, and I hope is still, alive, and many a 

 time has he told the tale of getting up this first show. 



They do not appear to have been unduly venturesome, as the 

 breeds were restricted to Pointers, with Messrs. J. Jobling, T. 

 Robson, and J. H. Walsh (afterwards known as " Stonehenge," and 

 long identified with the Field newspaper, and undoubtedly one of 

 the greater lights amongst the comparatively few Doggy Men of his 

 day) as judges, and Setters, with Messrs. F. Foulger, R. Brailsford, 

 and J. H. Walsh as judges. 



From the limited particulars now obtainable, although there were 

 sixty entries (by no means bad for two breeds only), there seem 

 to have been but one prize awarded in each breed : that for the best 

 Pointer going to Mr. R. Brailsford's liver-and-white dog, by Lord 



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