182 
The  Gloucester  Show,  1909. 
shown,  being  great  in  size,  and  having  very  good  quality  of 
wool,  with  great  length. 
Leicesters. — The  shearling  rams  (Class  250)  were  a very 
good  class,  as  also  were  the  shearling  ewes  (Class  252).  Some 
very  good  ram  lambs  and  ewe  lambs  were  exhibited,  the  latter 
causing  the  Judges  great  difficulty  in  making  the  awards. 
Border  Leicesters. — The  first  in  Class  254  (rams,  two-shear 
and  upwards)  was  a characteristic  specimen  of  the  breed,  with 
good  mutton  points  and  a good  coat.  The  second  was  a lengthy 
framed,  good  type  of  sheep.  In  the  shearling  rams  (Class  255) 
the  first  prize  winner  was  a strong,  well  coated  sheep  of  good 
breed  characteristics.  The  second  was  an  active  sheep,  with 
good  coat  and  lengthy  frame.  Class  256  (shearling  ewes)  was 
perhaps  the  best  of  the  breed  at  the  Show,  the  first  and  second 
prize  animals  being  strong  uniform  sheep  of  good  type.  The 
third  was  also  a good  specimen,  but  weaker  in  the  head  than 
the  winner.  The  Challenge  Cup  for  the  best  animal  was 
awarded  to  the  Right  Hon.  A.  J.  Balfour,  M.P.,  for  his  first 
prize  winner  in  Class  254. 
Wensleydales. — These  classes  were  up  to  standard  as  regards 
quality  and  type.  In  the  matured  ram  class,  the  winner  was 
of  high  merit,  with  good  head  and  fleece,  and  stood  well  on 
his  legs.  The  second  was  a nice  type  of  ram,  but  not  brought 
out  in  as  good  show  form  as  the  winner.  In  the  shearling 
ram  class,  the  first  was  a clear  winner,  beating  the  second 
in  scale  and  masculine  character.  The  other  entries  in  this 
class  were  very  good  specimens  of  the  breed.  The  shearling 
ewe  class  was  nothing  exceptional  in  point  of  quality,  the 
wdnners  were  an  even  matched  pen,  full  of  quality  and  style, 
and  the  second  prize  pen  were  well  matched,  but  lacking  a 
little  in  their  fleeces. 
Kent  or  Romney  Marsh. — This  breed  continues  to  make 
progress,  and  competition  becomes  keener  every  year.  Class 
260  (two-shear  rams)  contained  nothing  very  remarkable. 
Class  261  (shearling  rams)  was  a very  strong  lot  of  good 
typical  sheep,  the  first  prize  animal  taking  the  Championship 
of  the  breed.  The  new  class  for  pens  of  five  shearling  rams 
(Class  262)  proved  a decided  success,  and  no  other  class  so 
plainly  showed  the  great  improvement  in  the  similarity  of 
type  of  this  breed,  the  two  first  pens  being  probably  the 
best  matched  lots  ever  shown.  The  ram  lambs  (Class  263) 
were  a good  lot,  many  of  them  being  promising  specimens. 
The  shearling  ewes  and  ewe  lambs  were  also  good  and  typical 
of  the  breed. 
Cotswolds. — The  fact  of  the  Show  being  in  the  district  of 
these  sheep,  and  the  action  of  the  Cotswold  Sheep  Society 
in  providing  a considerable  sum  of  money  towards  the  prizes. 
