OF THE SADDLE AND SIRLOIN CLUB 329 



EARL SPENCER'S OX 



132. The champion at the Smithfield Fat Stock Show in 1835 

 was a white ox of Shorthorn blood shown by Lord Althorpe, 

 Earl Spencer. He was got by the bull Firby, owned by the 

 Earl and was fed at the farm at Wiseton, near Doncaster. Earl 

 Spencer was prominent in politics at one time, being Chan- 

 cellor of the Exchequer. He was unable, therefore, to devote 

 full attention to his breeding operations, but nevertheless 

 accumulated the largest herd of the 4ay in England. He was 

 early tutored from the lips of Thomas Bates (74) but after a 

 large degree of assistance in selecting early breeding stock and 

 through leasing some of the early Duchess bulls, he fell into 

 disfavor with his worthy mentor through attempting to hire 

 Bates' herdsman, the historic Robert Bell. Earl Spencer fol- 

 lowed the inbreeding systems called into vogue by Bakewell 

 and the ColliNg brothers, but is reputed to have ruined the con- 

 stitution of his stock. The authenticity of this is questionable, 

 since at the .dispersion of his herd in the early 40's, high prices 

 were attained; one bull brought $2,000, another one $1,850, and 

 several of the cows realized over $1,000. Although in the serv- 

 ice of his country, Eakl Spencer's heart was always in his 

 Shorthorns. When John Grey of Dilston called on the Earl 

 at the Government offices in London, the attendants slyly whis- 

 pered, "Ye've come about cows, Sir, so ye'll no' have long to 

 wait." He was the greatest promoter and distributor of the 

 breed in his day, and is credited with having established the 

 Shorthorn with the nobility of Britain. 



