CHAPTER II. 

 EAELY ENGLISH IMPROVEES. 



The first Smithfield Fat Stock Show was held at 

 London in 1799, and as was the case with the first 

 American Fat Stock Show established eighty years 

 later, proved a Hereford opportunity. In fact, the 

 Smithfield competitions gave a great impetus to the 

 movement that emancipated the breed from being 

 mere beasts of burden into the broad realm of beef- 

 making as a business. 



A bullock fed and shown by Mr. Westcar won first 

 prize and was sold for £100. He was described as 

 "8 feet 11 inches long, 6 feet 7 inches high, and 10 

 feet 4 inches girth." Another ox "seven feet high" 

 and with "a girth of 12 feet 4 inches" was also 

 shown. Entries were made by John EUman and the 

 Duke of Bedford, the latter winning the prize for, 

 "best ox fattened with grass and hay only, in the 

 shortest time from yoke." From that day to this the 

 Hereford classes at the annual shows of Christmas 

 beef on both sides of the Atlantic have been the most 

 effective advertising the breed has had. 



About this same date the Herefordshire Agricul- 

 tural Society was formed, the original show of 

 breeding stock being held in June, 1799, and one of 

 the chief prizes falling to one of the TuUys of Hunt- 

 ington. This organization did as much to stimulate 



47 



