HISTORY OF HEREFORD CATTLE 



t7 



was elected chairman during thie Duke of Bed- 

 ford's absence abroad. 



Lord Somerville and Mr. H. King, Jr., were 

 appointed inspectors to attend the weighing of 

 prize animals. 



It was determined to offer for next year 

 (1807) seven prizes for fat oxen or steers of the 

 weight of 130 stone (1,680 lbs.) and upwards, 

 viz. : 



Cla.ss I, Herefords, 20 guineas ($100) ; 

 Class II, Longhorns, 20 guineas ($100) ; Class 

 III, Shorthorns, 20 guineas ($100) ; Class IV, 

 Sussex or Kent, 20 guineas ($100) ; Class V, 

 Devons, 20 guineas ($100) ; Class VI, mixed 

 breeds, 20 guineas ($100). Also an additional 

 prize for the best ox or steer in the foregoing 

 classes, £10 ($50). The following conditions 

 were added : "The animals exhibited for the 

 above premiums must have worked at least two 

 years ending the 1st of January, 1807, and 

 must not have been put to fatten previous to 

 the 5th of April, and the whole of the food con- 

 sumed from the 1st of October to the 30th of 

 November must be certified. The time of put- 

 ting to feed, and the state of the flesh, must 

 be certified, under the attestation of two re- 

 spectable witnesses.'' 



1807. There were no exhibitors for the 

 Longhorn, Shorthorn, and Sussex prizes. The 

 prize in the class for Devons was not adjudged, 

 for want of sufficient merit. There were no 

 exhibitors for the cow prize. 



Resolved, That in future there be three 

 judges instead of five. 



Also that the secretary's salary be 30 guineas- 

 The club's dinner was held in the Free Mason's 

 Hall. 



1808. The proprietor of Sadler's Yard, Gos- 

 well street, paid the club only £50 ($250), he 

 finding provender as usual. The club also en- 

 tered into the same agreement with Mr. Sadler 

 for holding Lord Somerville's show. Again 

 this year tliere was no exhibitor for the Long- 

 horn prize. The only competitor for the Short- 

 horn prize was disqualified. There was no ex- 

 hibitor in mixed breeds. The Duke of Bedford 

 very liberally paid upwards of £68, charged for 

 three years' use of rooms at Freemasons' Tavern 

 for meetings, etc. Resolved, That no person 

 who has gained a prize in either of the first 

 five classes be entitled to show a beast in the 

 same class next year. 



1809. For the Shorthorn and Sussex prizes 

 there were no exhibitors. The judges were 

 not to be informed of the names of the owners 

 of the animals, but were to adjudicate by num- 

 bers placed over each. Resolved, That from 



next year ( 1810) a prize be offered for pure 

 Merino sheep. 



1810. The conditions respecting Longhorn 

 and Shorthorn oxen having been worked were 

 dispensed with. It was decided that in 1811, 

 Hereford, Sussex, or Kent, and Devon oxen or 

 steers, be shown in pairs or yokes, of the same 

 age and one person's breed, the premiums to be 

 equally divided between the breeder and grazier. 

 A portable weighing machine for cattle was 

 hired from Mr. Shepherd, of Woburn. 



1811. There were no exhibitors for the prizes 

 for yokes or pairs of oxen in the Hereford or 

 Devon classes. The arrears of subscription 

 amounted to 468 guineas. 



1812. Members were required to subscribe 

 to the "signature book," engaging to pay sub- 

 scriptions (II 64). 



Some curious descriptions of the colors, etc., 

 of the animals occurred : 



"A Hereford with a red ring around the 

 eye;" "a red, frosty-faced Sussex;" "a red and 

 white Devon ;" "a smooth-coated Hereford." 



1813. The Duke of Bedford resigned the 

 office of president when about to proceed to, the 

 continent. The Marquis of Tavistock was re- 

 quested to accept this office, but declined. A 



IVINGTONBURY, SEAT OF MR. T. ROBERTS, WHO 

 BRED SIR THOMAS. 



committee of management was elected, consist- 

 ing of the stewards and thirteen members. Thos. 

 Coke, Esq., was requested to become president, 

 but declined. Resolved, - That in future the 

 prizes be in plate instead of money. The num- 

 ber of show days was reduced from three to 

 two. The subscriptions and arrears due to the 

 club amounted to £1,086 15s ($5,434). The 

 number of members was 272. 



1814. The Duke of Bedford offered 100 

 guineas ($500) annually for additional prizes. 

 His Grace afterwards increased this sum to 125 



