334 A HISTORY OP THE PERCHBBON HORSE 



made his start by purchasing some stock from the 

 Dillons in 1877. In 1880 he bought Vidou 953 from 

 M. W. Dunham. A year later he bought Nyanza 869, 

 bred at Oaklawn, and also bought a mare. In sub- 

 sequent years he made numerous purchases from Mr. 

 Dunham. Mr. Avery's operations expanded rapidly 

 and he found it advantageous to sell some of the 

 stallions and mares he had taken to Kansas. As a 

 result of increasing business he prevailed upon C. E. 

 Coleman, who was at that time working for M. W. 

 Dunham, to go to Kansas and buy one of his farms 

 near "Wakefield for the purpose of engaging with 

 him in breeding and dealing in Percherons. The 

 firm of Avery & Coleman was accordingly formed 

 about 1886. Mr. Avery kept some Percherons under 

 his own management, however, so that from 1886 on 

 he had two establishments, his own and that in 

 which he held a partnership interest. He himself 

 bred 14 Percherons between 1881 and 1890, and the 

 firm of Avery & Coleman bred 28, making a total 

 of 42 head — two and a half times as many as any 

 other person or firm in the state. Nyanza was the 

 most important early sire used. Voltaire 3d 4320 

 (2963), a good horse sired by the noted show stallion 

 Voltaire 3540 (443), was another used after 1885; 

 he left some very good colts. Waterloo 16th 9287 

 (14946), imported in 1888, was another extra good 

 one used in the Avery stud. 



The activities of Henry Avery did more for Per- 

 cherons at this time than those of any other breeder 

 in Kansas, and he is entitled to much credit for the 



