The Doncaster Meeting. 
481 
The lectures and demonstratians given daily by Miss Maid- 
ment were a source of attraction to large numbers of visitors, 
whilst the scientific and practical discourses delivered by 
Dr. Voelcker and Mr. Rigby were listened to with great 
interest. 
The Horse-shoeing Competitions. 
These contests were limited to shoeing-smiths in the county 
of York, there being 14 competitors in Class 1 (Hunters) and 12 
competitors in Class 2 (Agricultural Horses), though a larger 
muster might have been expected. 
Some excellent work was done in the Hunter class. The 
time occupied in taking off a fore-shoe, preparing the foot, 
making and fitting one fore-shoe and one hind-shoe and setting 
on the former, varied from 29 to 39 minutes. The first-prize 
winner, a really excellent workman, and, as the vivii voce exam- 
ination afterwards proved, a man with a good knowledge of the 
anatomy of the horse's foot, made the best record as to time. 
The 2nd, 3rd, and 5th prize winners passed a good vivd voce 
examination, whilst the 4th prize winner and the two highly 
commended competitors, though good workmen, knew but little 
of the structure of the foot. 
In the Agi'icultural Horses class the work was not excep- 
tionally good. The time varied from 26 to 36 minutes. In the 
viv4 voce examination three of the prize winners showed a fair 
knowledge of the foot, but the others examined knew nothing 
of its structure. 
"In recent years," say the Judges, "a very decided im- 
provement has taken place as to the treatment of the sole and 
frog. They are not now pared and reduced in strength as they 
used to be, but there is still far too much rasping of the nail of 
the foot after the shoe has been put on. We noticed one com- 
petitor who, after rasping and filing, finished up by polishing 
the crust with emery-paper." 
Owing to the excellent selection of horses made by the 
Assistant Steward in charge (Mr. Claude Pilkington), their feet 
were uniformly good, thus giving every competitor the same 
chance to show his skill. 
Conclusion. 
Yorkshire has been well termed " an epitome of England," 
and the Society may look back with satisfaction upon its Fifth 
Meeting in our largest county. It was a fine-weather Meeting, 
and, thanks to the hearty co-operation of the Local Committee 
