CHAPTER XV. 



FIRST SHOW AT INVERNESS, 1831. 



In 183 1, the Society made a great stride northwards, 

 fixing the show at Inverness, where it was held in the 

 Academy Yard on 21st September. Naturally, a full 

 list of premiums was offered for the Highland breed, 

 and the competition completely justified the expenditure 

 of premiums on that section. Premiums were offered, 

 however, for other sections with considerable liberality, 

 to which there was onl}- a veiy inadequate response. 

 A prize was offered for each of the best bull, cow, two- 

 year-old heifer, and ox of the Shorthorn breed ; but 

 for these four classes, there were entered in all onl}^ two 

 animals. No Shorthorn bull appeared, nor was there a 

 Shorthorn heifer exhibited. Even Shorthorn oxen were 

 altogether absent. The two animals that appeared were 

 both cows. One was exhibited by Donald Kennedy, 

 Holm, near Inverness, and the other by James Mellis, 

 Spynie, Elgin. Mr Mellis's cow, which was eight years 

 old, obtained the prize. She was bred b}' the Duke of 

 Gordon. Mr Kennedy's was bred by J\Ir Shaw, near 

 Inverness. A contemporary, and apparently official, report 

 of the show says of the Shorthorn breed that ' it has not 

 yet established itself in the northern districts.' We may 

 note in this connection, that in the class of bulls of any 

 breed not enumerated, the prize was won by Mr Ferguson 

 Simpson, Mains of Pitfour, afterwards celebrated as a 

 Shorthorn breeder ; but the animal which gained the prize 

 was a cross between a Teeswater bull and an Aberdeen- 

 shire cow, the breeder being Mr Barclay Allardyce of 

 Ury. A note, made at the time, states that Mr Simpson 

 bought this bull from Gilbert Mitchell (father of the late 

 Mr Mitchell, Meikle Haddo). 



