234 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHEEON HOESE 



a total of 203 breeders. The other prominent states, 

 with the number of breeders in order, were: Iowa 66, 

 Ohio 55, New York .31, Minnesota 30, Michigan 28, 

 Pennsylvania 23, Wisconsin 23, Indiana 21, Kansas 

 20, Missouri 18, and Nebraska 12. Breeding had 

 been begun in 20 other states but was limited in 

 extent. 



This epoch was made notable by the coming of 

 some new men whose means and ambitions enabled 

 them to take high rank in Percheron operations. 

 Foremost among these was W. L. Ellwood, DeKalb, 

 111., who proved the strongest competitor which M. 

 W. Dunham encountered in his lifetime. Mark Coad 

 of Nebraska, Hon. T. W. Palmer of Michigan, John 

 W. Akin of New York, Fred Pabst and R. B. Kellogg 

 of Wisconsin, Leonard Johnson, George E. Case and 

 the Minnesota Percheron Horse Co., all of Minne- 

 sota, also acquired prominence during this period. 



Oaklawn Breeding Operations. — Mark W. Dun- 

 ham's breeding operations reached their climax dur- 

 ing this period, as he reared 182 stallions and 173 

 mares of his own production, almost as many as his 

 four leading contemporaries combined. His rank, 

 however, depends less on mere numbers than on the 

 character of colts produced. The influence of the 

 Oaklawn Farm operations of this period has been 

 so far-reaching that it must receive detailed con- 

 sideration. 



It was Mr. Dunham's idea from the outset to de- 

 velop as rapidly as possible the breeding of Perche- 

 rons in America, and he imported mares freely: in 



