CHAPTER XIX 



BENCH SHOWS AND FIELD TRIALS 



Public competitions are the only means of 

 determining accurately the qualities of horses or 

 dogs used in sport. Private competitions might 

 answer the same purpose, but no dependence can 

 be placed upon the information which comes from 

 such surroundings. It grows too fast between 

 point of origin and written history. Even in the 

 case of public competitions and public records 

 the two elements of personal ignorance and per- 

 sonal bias cannot be eliminated. Publicity, how- 

 ever, usually produces enough of checks and 

 attrition to furnish a reasonably reliable record 

 in the long run. 



So definite is the comparative value of public 

 competitions, that I, for one, have little faith in 

 the opinions on sporting dogs formed prior to 

 the introduction of field trials and bench shows 

 in England. I have seen and read too many 

 foolish tales from well-meaning but narrow imagi- 

 nations to pay much attention to a comparative 

 judgment formed without opportunities of com- 

 parison. There was a great deal of good breed- 



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