270 Dog Shows and Doggy People 



Irving and Mr. W. Brooks, of Setters; and Mr. J. H. Walsh 

 (" Stonehenge "), of Toys, which I presume, included all the rest, 

 although we should not in these days class Mastiffs, Newfoundlands, 

 Dalmatians, Bull-dogs, Sheep-dogs, Black-and-tan Terriers, White 

 and other English Terriers, Scotch Terriers, and Foreign Non- 

 Sporting Dogs, all of which were provided with classes, amongst 

 Toys, which were more properly represented by Pugs, Italian 

 Greyhounds, Blenheim and King Charles Spaniels, and Toy Terriers 

 under 5 Ib. 



The entry was quite respectable for those early times (267), and 

 I observe that although in many cases there was only one prize 

 awarded, in no case were more than two, and often it was recorded, 

 " No second prize awarded." Evidently the judges went on the 

 good principle of pleasing themselves, and recognising true merit 

 only ! 



I need not say that this was the beginning of the long series of 

 popular and successful dog shows, held in the same town, I think 

 without a break, ever since, as I see its 1901 Exhibition is described 

 on the catalogue as the forty-third, and I do not remember more 

 than one being held in any year. 



I doubt very much whether any one town in the whole world can 

 show such a record of its constancy and attachment to one particular 

 hobby (and that, not then, very popular, or much favoured) for such 

 an unbroken period ! 



I believe at this show my friend the late Mr. William Lort judged 

 for the first time, but afterwards became very widely known through- 

 out the length and breadth of the land, especially as a judge of 

 Sporting Dogs, although I have often known him take the whole 

 show, where the entry was small, and for many years indeed, broken 

 only by his occasional long periods of absence, when away on sporting 

 tours, to various parts of the world, as his amiable and genial dis- 

 position, fund of anecdote, and charming, unassuming manners 

 endeared him to all brought into contact with him, and made his 

 company much desired he probably did more judging than any 

 other one man, " professional judge " or not ; although my old friend 

 the Rev. G. F. Hodson, of North Petherton (who has had many years 

 of indisposition and confinement to his house, but I have had positive 

 assurance that he is in good health at the present time), ran him 

 a good " second," being, in the opinion of many, a really better 

 judge in the Non-Sporting Division than Mr. Lort, and quite his 

 equal in many of the Sporting breeds, such as Deer-hounds, 



