236 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE 



purebred mares; he then was sold into a community 

 where he was bred only to grade mares until his 

 death. Brilliant 1271 was placed at the head of the 

 Oaklawn stud in 1882 and became the most famous 

 sire ever used in America. However, his greatest 

 descendants are the result of line-breeding his sons 

 and grandsons on daughters and granddaughters of 

 Brilliant 1899, so that the two together must be 

 given the credit for the dominance of Brilliant blood 

 in the Percheron breed. 



The leading showring winners of the '80 's and 

 early '90 's were dominated by the Brilliant blood, 

 but the most remarkable feature is the prepotency 

 of the leading horses of this strain. Out of the 56 

 animals that won first prizes in the stallion and mare 

 classes at the shows held by the Societe Hippique 

 Percheronne de France during the years from 1901 

 to 1908 all but 9 traced directly in the sire's line 

 to Brilliant 1271 or Brilliant 1899, or both, the chief 

 lines of descent being through Brilliant 3d 11116 

 (2919), Villers 13169 (8081) and Marathon 11410 

 (10386). 



In addition to this record, which includes only first- 

 prize animals at the most important show in France, 

 the record of the International Live Stock Exposi- 

 tion at Chicago offers cumulative evidence of the 

 prepotency and value of Brilliant blood. Of the 11 

 different stallions that have won grand champion- 

 ship honors in the 14 shows that have been held, all 

 but 2 trace directly in the sire's line to this strain, 

 and the champions that have since become famous 



