Report of the Stewards of Stock at. the Newcastle Show. 439 
that cunie under my notice. I really do not think the other classes worth 
remarking upon, except the local class for mares and geldings, which, taking 
them altogether, I considered good. I cannot understand why the numbers 
were so short in most classes, as the arrangements were first-rate, and every 
facility was afforded for selecting the best without any trouble. So much 
space is a very great advantage to the Judges." 
It was very evident that the exhibition of horses, taken alto- 
gether, was not so good as it ought to have been, and not nearly 
equal to many of the local shows in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire 
— not to mention the Agricultural Hall, where 40 thoroughbred 
stallions, many of them very superior, 60 hunters, 20 hacks, and 
a great number of ponies were shown. With few exceptions 
this has always been the weak point in our meeting, and there 
must be some cause ; perhaps we may profit by experience, and 
make improvements before the next show at Plymouth. No 
doubt if we wish for a good exhibition we should afford every 
facility to exhibitors and impose as few restrictions as possible. 
The charge of 21. for each horse-box is very objectionable, 
and has a material effect in diminishing the numbers. It is no 
answer to say that the horses would cost more in the town, or 
that formerly we did not provide boxes. It is not to be expected 
that any one will send a horse from a warm stable to be placed 
in an open shed with a thorough draught. 
Two Hunter sires ! — perhaps now we shall not insist on their 
being thoroughbred — of course they should have several crosses 
of good blood, but it cannot be right to exclude such horses as 
" Elcott," " Safeguard," " East Lancashire," " Grey Prince," or 
a host of others. 
The rule that mares should either be in foal or with a foal 
prevents many of the best from being shown. This condition 
should be erased from the prize-sheet. 
R. MlLWARD. 
Sheep. 
In its entries of Cotswolds, Oxford Downs, Southdowns, and 
Shropshires, the Newcastle Meeting was considerably below 
Worcester. Even Leicesters and Lincolns showed a slight 
decline, and so would the "Hampshire and other Short Wool " 
classes, if they had not been helped out by a few Holme Lacev 
Ryelands. Still if the distance from their peculiar localities told 
severely upon the display of four of the leading breeds, their 
deficiency (102) was more than compensated for by the entries of 
sheep peculiar to Scotland and the Border counties, and thus the 
balance against Newcastle was reduced to 32 on a total of 415. 
The new requirement that all sheep exhibited should have 
been realty and fairly shorn bare now first came into operation. 
