CHAPTEK XVII 

 HOKSE SHOWS AND EEMOUNTS 



Horse Shows. 



The educational value that Horse Shows have afforded 

 since their inception, well deserves recognition from the 

 historian of the nineteenth century. They have set up 

 a high standard, and shown breeders in out-of-the-way 

 localities what they should aim at, and taught them what 

 acknowledged experts consider to be the best articles of their 

 class. They have also helped to place an increased value 

 upon make and shape, and thus raised the general 

 produce to a higher level. The classes for young stock 

 should be the backbone of every Show of any pretension, for 

 these give great encouragement to breeders to bring out the 

 best of their produce, and also afford an opportunity to 

 prospective purchasers to see the pick of the youngsters in 

 the neighbourhood, at small cost and trouble. There is, too, 

 a fresh crop each year of the respective ages amongst the 

 youngsters, whilst this is often not the case with regard to 

 the older horses, which are apt to make the rounds year after 

 year with rather monotonous regularity. Such horses some- 

 times farm the various open prizes for quite a long period ; 

 and though it may add eclat to a Show that some famous 

 prize-taker should grace its exhibition, local breeders are 

 thereby discouraged from entering into competition with 

 " the crack," and the question needs to be carefully con- 

 sidered and weighed, as to what course will benefit the 

 district the most. 



It is a very desirable thing to have a champion present, 

 whom all may see and admire, but the regulations should be 

 so compiled that the crack does not take an undue share of the 



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