Champion Bulls. 91 



ston preserved a tradition (which he propounded at 

 two agricultural dinners), that the Blue Boar of 

 Brougham and the Yellow Boar of Lowther got loose, 

 and fought in a pen at Penrith, but the yellow 

 bulls of the East and the blue bulls of the West 

 preserved a far more peaceful rivalry. It was 

 a bad day for Cumberland breeders when the 

 Lowther herd was sold, and none have noted the 

 change so much as the jobbers and the show judges. 

 The former always said that they would give away 

 the point of his steers being at times rather thin 

 through the heart, if they could only have another 

 crop of Gainford hind-quarters. It was with this 

 massive red bull, who so especially distinguished him- 

 self as a heifer getter, and was ultimately sold back to 

 Mr. Crofton for 100 guineas, that the bull competition 

 sprung up, which once gave such zest to the country 

 showyards. 



It virtually began with Mr. Buston, of Dolphinby, 

 who came to the county about 1829, and brought with 

 him Crofton's Cripple, and Young Rockingham. At 

 last a proposition was mooted and carried to have a five- 

 guinea sweepstakes at Penrith, and shortly before the 

 day it oozed out that Lord Lonsdale had bought a new 

 bull from Colonel Cradock, at Richmond race-time, for 

 100 guineas, which was to cut everything down. His 

 lordship had not drawn his bow at a venture ; and 

 when the great unknown descended from his van on 

 to the show ground, in the shape of a three-year-old 

 scion of Thorpe and old Cherry, the owners of his 

 opponents too truly foresaw that their chances were 

 quite out. Mr. Buston had senc Sir William ; and 

 Priam and Wallace represented the Denton and 

 Troutbeck herds ; but the fiat of the judges was fully 

 endorsed by the great majority of the spectators, and 

 Mr. Blamire declared in his speech that evening, that 

 he did not think there was a better bull than Gainford 

 in England. However, a different opinion obtained 



