282 A HISTORY OF THE PEECHEKON HORSE 



France were prominent winners, and he is rated as 

 one of the three best sons of Brilliant 1271, individu- 

 ality and the prepotency of his descendants con- 

 sidered. 



Gilbert was also sired by Brilliant 1271, and every- 

 thing considered was probably the greatest show 

 horse the old sire ever begot. He was a winner in 

 France and took first in the four-year-old class 

 for stallions over 1,750 pounds at the great Percheron 

 Society show at Chicago in 1886. He was first again 

 in 1887 at the horse show at Chicago, and second at 

 the same show in 1888, being beaten by La Ferte 5144 

 (452). Again in 1889 he was second, this time to 

 Fenelon 2682 (38), and in 1890 he was second at 

 the same show to Seducteur 8850 (7057). Gil- 

 bert was not shown in 1891 or 1892, but came out in 

 1893, when 11 years old and after 7 years of stud 

 service, and won third at the Columbian Exposition 

 in the face of strong competition. No other horse 

 of the breed has a showyard record excelling this, 

 and it is doubtful whether any can equal it. 



Gilbert was about 16.2 hands high and weighed 

 around a ton in show condition. He was a remark- 

 ably well-balanced horse, symmetrical throughout, 

 with great style and finish and the best of underpin- 

 ning. He was a whirlwind in action, and remained 

 sound and clean to the end of his days. 



As a sire it must be admitted frankly that he was 

 not the best of the sons of Brilliant 1271. He got 

 some very good animals, but his colts lacked uniform- 

 ity in type and in color and some were very disap- 



