OF THE SADDLE AND SIRLOIN CLUB 329 
EARL SPENCER’S OX 
132. The champion at the Smithfield Fat Stock Show in 1835 
was a white ox of Shorthorn blood shown by Lorp ALTHORPE, 
EarL SPENCER. He was got by the bull Firby, owned by the 
Earl and was fed at the farm at Wiseton, near Doncaster. EarL 
SPENCER was prominent in politics at one time, being Chan- 
cellor of the Exchequer. He was unable, therefore, to devote 
full attention to his breeding operations, but nevertheless 
accumulated the largest herd of the day in England. He was 
early tutored from the lips of THomas Bates (74) but after a 
large degree of assistance in selecting early breeding stock and 
through leasing some of the early Duchess bulls, he fell into 
disfavor with his worthy mentor through attempting to hire 
Bares’ herdsman, the historic ROBERT BELL. Eart SPENCER fol- 
lowed the inbreeding systems called into vogue by BAKEWELL 
and the CoL.inc brothers, but is reputed to have ruined the con- 
stitution of his stock. The authenticity of this is questionable, 
since at the dispersion of his herd in the early 40’s, high prices 
were attained; one bull brought $2,000, another one $1,850, and 
several of the cows realized over $1,000. Although in the serv- 
ice of his country, EARL SpENcER’s heart was always in his 
Shorthorns. When Joun Grey of Dilston called on the Earl 
at the Government offices in London, the attendants slyly whis- 
pered, “Ye’ve come about cows, Sir, so yell no’ have long to 
wait.” He was the greatest promoter and distributor of the 
breed in his day, and is credited with having established the 
Shorthorn with the nobility of Britain. 
