FIRST FAT STOCK SHOWS 403 



heifer, Ohio Belle; George Morgan's string from 

 the Wyoming Hereford Association, and the most 

 amazing lot of yearling grades ever seen together 

 on the continent. In fact, the show had now arrived 

 at full stature, with the classes running bank-full 

 of quality. 



The Goal Attained. — Through the early stages 

 of the judging little comfort came the Shorthorn 

 way. Their best three-year-olds had twice gone 

 down before a neatly finished, short-legged, richly 

 furnished 2,125-pound steer of Mr. Culbertson 

 called Eoan Boy, got by the Hereford bull Freeport 

 (he by Success 2d) out of a roan heifer by the 

 Shorthorn bull 9th Duke of Forest Hill, and bred 

 by J. H. Spears. This steer was a light roan with 

 the characteristic Hereford white markings. His 

 grandam was a pure white cow of Shorthorn ex- 

 traction. Hereford men would have been quite as 

 well pleased if the Shorthorn color, neatness of 

 bone, and levelness of quarter had not been present, 

 because, in one way, they proved too much. "While 

 Roan Boy was recognized from the beginning of 

 the show as "in the running," he had no mortgage 

 on first place.* Black Prince was surely dangerous. 

 Starlight, with his good top and light underline, 



*It is aU but impossible to realize the depth of the feeling 

 engendered by these first big "finish" fights between these breeds. 

 The Shorthorn power had gone unchallenged for so many years 

 that their breeders refused to take the situation seriously. Miller 

 and William H. Sotham were called "cranks"; their cattle had no 

 "breeding" ; were, in fact, "plain, ugly-horned and peaked- 

 rumped." No cattle breeder having a pride In the ownership of 

 "cattle with a history" or who appreciated beauty and finish in 

 fine cattle could afford to handle these ugly and plebeian in- 

 truders. In brief, the Shorthorn breeders ridiculed the Here- 

 fords and predicted for them a short-lived American popularity. 



