94 A HISTORY OF SHORTHORNS IN KANSAS 



Gallant Knight combined the blood of imp. Bar- 

 on Victor, chief of all the sires ever used at Lin- 

 wood, and Craven Knight, rated as one of the 

 most beautiful of all the Cruickshank bulls im- 

 ported to this country. Gallant Knight attained 

 a weight somewhat in excess of 2200 pounds. He 

 was a marvel for compactness and smoothness 

 of form. Barely has a bull been seen with such 

 wonderful quarters and such impressive, clean- 

 cut masculinity about the head and horn. For 

 nearly thirteen years he did service in the Tom- 

 son herd and for a dozen years his sons and 

 daughters, the latter particularly, were prom- 

 inent winners in the middle western fairs and 

 shows. The characteristics which always attract- 

 ed attention were their uniformity of type, 

 smoothness and compactness of form, depth, and 

 fleshing quality. 



The first time that Gallant Knight appeared 

 in a show ring was at the American Royal at 

 Kansas City. He was then a three-year-old. The 

 judge was the late W. S. Van Natta of Indiana, 

 famed as a Hereford breeder. He placed Gal- 

 lant Knight second in class, awarding the first 

 to Lavender Viscount that at the time was carry- 

 ing a heavier flesh covering. When the ratings 

 were made and the animals left the ring Mr. Van 

 Natta followed Gallant Knight to his stall, the 

 cattle at that time being quartered on the second 

 floor of a building nearly a block away. Arriv- 



