The Chester Meeting. 
515 
Class 31, Shire mare and foal, had 11 entries, and the first 
and second prize mares “ were of extra merit.” 
Class 32, Shire filly, foaled in 1890, sent out “ 15 of the 
most extraordinary fillies ever seen in one ring, 4 of them 
being simply superb.” The first prize filly, Mr. P. Albert 
Muntz’s Dunsmore Gloaming, the Judges regard as “a typical 
Shire,” and add : — 
She has substance, size, quality and action, and in awarding her the 
Champion prize as the best mare we felt we were awarding to one of the 
best animals that we ever saw at the age. 
Class 33, Shire filly, foaled in 1891, with 14 entries, was 
“ also an extraordinary class ; ” the three winners being “ such 
as we have seldom seen in one ring together.” 
Class 34, Shire filly, foaled in 1892, had 32 entries, “ but they 
were not as a whole good. One or two of the best were quite 
spoiled by over-feeding — such a mistake in young animals.” 
It is noteworthy that, of the prize-winning animals in the 
Shire classes, the produce of the sire Harold, 3073, took three 
first prizes, three seconds, and two thirds, beside the two 
Champion prizes. The only other sire whose produce took more 
than one pi’ize was Ilitchin Duhe, 9586 ; he has a first and a 
second to his credit. 
Viewing the display collectively, the Judges are of opinion 
that a better show of Shires was never seen in the Royal Show- 
yard, and that since the time when the Society first granted 
separate prizes for Shires the improvement in the breed 
has been immense. Their only misgiving as to the future 
is lest breeders should be “ tempted to sacrifice too much sub- 
stance for quality.” The greatest value of the Shire “ is in 
being able to produce a heavier and more serviceable, and con- 
sequently more valued animal for the commercial interest of this 
country than any other breed under the sun.” The Judges add 
that “ a good 5-year-old Shire gelding, standing 17 hands, is 
worth from 90/. to 100/., whereas a good, small, active 16-hands 
gelding is worth from 50/. to 65/., — this must mean a wide 
difference in the margin of profit to the breeder.” 
Clydesdales. — The 51 entries of the Scottish breed com- 
pared favourably with the 29 entries farther south at Warwick 
in 1892. England contributed 80 entries, comprising 11 frcm 
the county of Chester, 8 from Cumberland, 7 from Kent, 
3 from Durham, and 1 from Northumberland. Scotland 
entered 18, namely, from Dumfries 7, Berwick 4, Inverness 
3, Wigton 2, Kirkcudbright 1, and Midlothian 1. From 
the Principality, 2 were entered from Glamorgan and 1 frcm 
