620 Report on the Exhibition of Live-Stock at Shrewsbury, 1884. 
strong and exceedingly good, and were included by the Judges 
in a general commendation of those and the Shire Classes 
together, as classes which " must always form an important 
feature in the Annual Show," it is questionable how far one 
indifferent exhibition, and that in a district in which four 
much-needed societies for the improvement of agricultural 
horses are yet in their infancy, is good reason for the abolition 
of the classes. The Class of older Agricultural Stallions cer- 
tainly was weak ; but the corresponding Class of SufTolks, 
which no one proposes to abolish, had not one animal in the 
Showyard. Messrs. E. and A. Stanford's useful brown horse, 
" Beaconsfield," stands sole representative of this class of 
Agricultural horses on the prize-list. A Montgomeryshire 
breeder came boldly into the strife with a three-year-old in 
the next class, but was beaten by three strangers, from Derby- 
shire, Notts, and Berks ; while in the Two-year-old Class, 
Montgomery was actually foremost, with " Bangham," a horse 
bred by Mr. Henry Roberts in the same county, and exhibited 
by Mr. John Lewis. So much for the results of local effort. 
One of the three excellent mares so highly praised by the York 
Judges, Mr. Charlton's "Maggie Moir," took the second place 
at Shrewsbury, as at York, in the class of Agricultural Mares 
and Foals, and the Shrewsbury Judges placed above her the 
still better " Deborah Debbitch," exhibited by the Marquis of 
Downshire. The only other animals exhibited against these 
were both highly commended by the Judges (the fifth entry 
not appearing in the ring), so the class, as far as it went, was 
not very bad. The Agricultural or Shire Colt, and the Shire 
Filly Classes were excellent ; the Agricultural Fillies formed two 
weak classes ; and the Agricultural or Shire Class of Yearling 
Fillies was good. In this, one of the stock of *' Spark," from 
Elsenham Hall, was first, the Worsley entries were second and 
reserve. The Hon. E. K. W. Coke's York second winner, 
" Czarina," was first in the Three-year-old Shire Filly Class, 
the same exhibitor's " Comfort " winning second ; and in the 
Two-year-old Class the competition seemed close between the 
Earl of Ellesmere's " Lily," by " William the Conqueror," from 
the noted " Derby Beauty," and Mr. Gilbey's beautiful " Cosey," 
by "Champion of England." Mr. Gilbey's " Crowland Chief" 
headed a good class of last year's colts, upon which the Judges 
make some noteworthy remarks, showing their clear appre- 
ciation of the Society's objects, and of their own duties. 
Nothing can more surely ruin a breed than the systematic over- 
forcing of its young stock, and if Judges would more generally 
discountenance this bane of our improved breeds, they would do 
their country good service. 
