242 A HISTORY OF THE PEECHERON HOBSE 



the Brilliant blood and its dominance in the '80 's, 

 '90 's and to the present day in the Percheron breed 

 cannot be held to have been accidental. Percherons 

 were measured then as now by their excellence in 

 conformation, underpinning, quality, style and 

 action. That the vast majority of the prize-winners 

 in all leading shows, abroad and in America, were 

 strongly bred in this blood, is proof that such horses 

 had the highest individual excellence. Besides, it 

 was found that they bred on with a high degree of 

 certainty. It was this that soon led men to value 

 the Brilliant blood very highly, and it is because of 

 the two essentials of sheer individual merit and 

 great prepotency that Brilliant dominates the Per- 

 cheron breed as much as Baron's Pride does the 

 Clydesdale, or Champion of England the Shorthorn. 

 The most remarkable show horses of the '80 's, 

 which have since demonstrated the tremendous 

 carrying power that spells prepotency, were Bril- 

 liant 3d 11116, Seducteur 8850 and Marathon 11410. 

 All three were sired by sons of Brilliant 1271 out of 

 daughters of Brilliant 1899. The blending of the 

 blood of Brilliant 1899 and his son. Brilliant 1271, 

 both splendid individuals, resulted in these three 

 which were all greater as individuals than either 

 Brilliant, and extraordinarily prepotent. Tripoli 

 11110 (20034), almost as great, was bred in exactly 

 the same way, but was by still another son of Bril- 

 liant 1271 and out of another daughter of Brilliant 

 1899. Villers 13169 (8081) , a fifth grandson of Bril- 

 liant 1271 through still another son, Briard 5317, is 



