142 QUEEN'S PREMIUM SIRES. 



of the company, all first-class judges, as 

 likely to get hunters, and generally im- 

 prove the character of horses in this district. 

 Nearly all the horses thus selected have 

 won premiums ; or, Avhen they have not, 

 it was because they were too good to be 

 shown for them ; for, since a premium 

 winner is bound to serve a certain number 

 of mares at a low fee, it is obviously 

 more to the owner's interest not to enter for 

 these prizes a superlatively excellent animal, 

 which without such recommendation can 

 command a high fee. Thus those grand 

 horses. Yard Arm and Fantomime, both 

 the property of the Stud, do not compete, 

 though gaining the prizes, if they did, 

 would be a foregone conclusion. Besides 

 several other stallions of similar stamp, 

 including Scot Ouard, now snow-white and 

 twenty-two years old, yet still perhaps the 

 handsomest topped horse in England, the 

 Compton Stud possesses that fine racehorse 



