442 Report of the Stewards of Stock at the Newcastle Shoiv. 
and so were the sheep shown by that gentleman in the Class for Earns of any 
age." 
" Numerically speaking, neither the Oxford nor Hampshire Downs appeared 
in much force, which may be accounted for by the great distance of the show 
from the localities in which these different kinds of sheep are bred. The 
several classes of eacli kind of sheep contained specimens which fully sustained 
the high position they have respectively attained. The Oxfordshire Down 
shearling ram class came first under notice. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize 
sheep of Mr. Wallis were of good formation, combining fine size with good 
wool. The 3rd prize sheep was a very compact, well-formed animal, and 
which, if its head had been more in character with the true Oxfordshire Down 
ram, would have been differently placed. The sheep exhibited by Mr. Bryan 
were strong firm-fleshed animals. Those exhibited by Mr. Charles Howard 
were not up to the mark for competition in a lioyal Show-yard. In the class 
for aged rams, the prizes again fell to the lot of Mr. Wallis for sheep of much 
Ihe same stamp as those exhibited by him in the shearling class. The other 
sheep exhibited in this class were good specimens of their kind. The class 
for shearling ewes did not contain a pen of any extraordinary merit. The 
ewes exhibited by Mr. Overman were more uniform in form and in quality of 
wool than those exhibited by his Grace the Duke of Marlborough, though the 
latter had most decidedly the preference for colour." 
We have seen a better class of shearling; Southdown rams at 
previous meetings of the Society. The tails of some of them 
were not nicely set on, and two or three might fairly challenge 
the old Sussex comment " he won't do — he ties his stockings 
above his knee." Last year, Lord Walsingham won every prize 
in the ram and shearling class, and had the reserve numbers as 
well ; but on this occasion his Lordship showed no older rams, 
but repeated his victories with the first and second prize 
shearlings, and the first prize for shearling ewes. His Lordship's 
first prize shearling was a very perfect sheep of his kind, but 
rather small. The second, which had been first at the Norfolk 
Show, was a larger sheep, but decidedly inferior in symmetry, as 
he is too high in his rumps. Mr. Rigden's medallist was very 
nice behind, but fails in his shoulders. Mr. Waters, who had 
never previously won a prize for this breed of sheep in the 
Society's Yard, was first in a very fair class of rams, with a very 
good one. It had plenty of size, and fine loins, and was full of 
the real Down character. A more perfect forehand has been 
seldom seen. The second prize was taken by a ram of Mr. 
Rigden's, not noticed in the shearling class at Worcester, with 
fine rumps, wool, and general quality. The ears of the silver 
medal sheep were rather too short ; but he was very good and 
straight in the back, and very snug in front. A noted old 
Babrakam sheep was not noticed in this class, and seemed to 
have lost his handle on the journey. 
