TRENTHAM ANNUAL SHOW. 287 



Simpson, Edward Simpson, W. E. Stamer, H. Toon, T. Wibberley, R, S. 

 Wilkinson, and R. N. Wood (treasurer), with Mr. J. Meadows, of Muckiestone, 

 as secretary. The other officials were— Stewards : Hunters, Messrs. H, Toon, 

 R. Hill, and E. Eaton ; harness horses, Messrs. F. W. Furnival and J. Dean ; 

 agricultural horses, Messrs. C. J. Bowers and E. Bagnall ; cattle, Messrs. J. 

 Walker and V. Edwards ; cheese and butter, Messrs. A. Hocknell and E. Robin- 

 son ; poultryandegg-!, Mr. F. Bourne. Judges: Hunters, Messrs. J. Akenhead 

 and R. P. Cooper ; harness horses, Messrs.W. H. Burton and A. C. Goodson ; agri- 

 cultural horses, Messrs. Joseph Hill and T. J. Button; cattle, Messrs. (x. G. 

 Blantern and S. Dodd ; cheese and butter, Mr. J. Pakeman ; poultry, eggs, and 

 honey, IMr. H. W. Reunion ; veterinary surgeons, Messrs. J. W. Coe, R. Steven- 

 son, and R. C. Trigger. The general arrangements were admirably carried out 

 by Mr. Meadows and his start" of assistants. The greatest interest in regard to 

 everything pertaining to the success of the show was taken by Mr. Alexander 

 Simpson, the Duke's private secretary. 



The young hounds walked ])y tenant farmers in the North Staffordshire 

 country were judged at the Kennels. The task of adjudicating was entrusted to 

 Mr. Reginald Corbet (South Cheshire Hunt), Mr. German Shepherd (South 

 Notts), and George Whitmore (of the Atherstone Hunt). The entry comprised 

 twenty-one couples — nine couples of dogs and twelve of bitches. The awards 

 were as follows : — Dogs: (1) Ringwood, Mr. Blockley, Aston Clifi"; (2) Pilgrim, 

 Mr. Blade, Betley ; (3) Sinbad, Mr. Hough, Black Lake. Bitches : (1) Stella, 

 Miss Hart, Moddershall ; (2) Pliant, Mr. Wilkinson, Madeley ; (3) Silvia, Mr. 

 Lawton, Baldwin's Gate. The first prize in each class was a silver cup, the 

 second a lady's silk dress, and the thii'd a piece of plate. 



Starting with very small beginnings, the Trentham Agricultural Exhibition 

 has attained proportions which place it well to the front in local shows. When 

 the first meeting was held in 1893, there were sixty-eight entries. Then, how- 

 ever, there were only two classes, for light and heavy horses, the introduction of 

 cattle and sheep taking place in 1895. At the present show the classes for sheep 

 were discontinued in consequence of dwindling competition in recent years, there 

 having been only eight entries at the last show. In 1895 there were twenty-nine 

 entries of sheep. The total number of entries in all sections this year was 223, 

 as compared w]'-h. 269 at the previous exhibition. The comparative figures with 

 last year's shr >v were as follows : — Light horses (hunters), 1901, 57; 1902, 48. 

 Light horses (harness), 28 — 26 ; heavy horses, 58 — 46 ; cattle, 53 — 43 ; cheese, 

 19 — 21 ; butter, 24 — 15 ; eggs and poultry, 18 — 20 ; honey, 4 — 4. The weather 

 on Thursday morning was unfortunately very wet, and prevented many from 

 attending who would otherwise have been present. 



A principal feature of the exhibition was the show of horses. The hunters 

 were a very level lot, and it was a matter of general remark that it becomes 

 harder each year to \vin at Trentham. The agricultural horses showed splendid 

 form, and yearlings and two-year-olds in particular were unanimously voted 

 equal to anything seen at the Royal Show. It was pertinently said that there 

 was no tail among them. The show of cattle was very fair, but not up to last 

 year's exhibits, especially in the dairy classes. It was noticed that in several of 

 the cattle classes the entrants were not in evidence. In the class for coloured 

 cheese there was not a single lot that did not deserve a prize. In white cheese 

 there were a few lots not quite so good. In butter the quality was remarkably 

 high. There was on view on the ground an ingenious invention exhibited l)y 

 the Leicestershire Timber Company, known as the Hincks Patent Fox Excluder. 

 Mr. Hincks, the inventor, will be remembered as being formerly in business as 



