BATH AND WEST OF ENGLAND SOCIETY. 235 
Mr. Wm. Dicker Brock^ Crediton, Devon, cart-horse, 
Young King of the Valley Mr. George Hassell, Barton 
Hill, Bristol, Clydesdale horse, RoyaFAlbion f Mr. Edward 
Churches, Godney, Wells, Somerset, cart-horse, Champion;” 
and Mr. R. H. Watson, Dorsley, Totnes, Clydesdale horse, 
Aberdeen being fourteen entries in this class. For hacks 
and hunters—thoroughbred stallions—the entries were Mr. R. 
H. Watson, Dorsley, Totnes, chesnut horse, Hungerford,” 
15 years; Mr. R. H. Watson, do., ^CBrocket,” 13 years; 
Mr. W. Barrett, Puddevain, Totness, chesnut horse, Ratan,” 
aged 22 years, bred by Mr. Crockford ; R. C. Riddell, Esq., 
Spreacombe, Barnstaple, ‘^Frederick;” Mr. R. G. Luxton, 
Brushford, Devon, chesnut horse, Baldfaced Stag,” 8 years 
and 2 months; Mr. James Perrett, Gillingham, Dorset, 
^^Puzzler ;” Mr. James Hollocombe, Reading, Berks, Young 
Touchstone;” Mr. J. K. Newman, Bradford Abbas, Sher¬ 
borne, Phenomenon, junr.;” and Mr. Thomas Lake, Wear 
Gifford, Torrington, Swalcliffe,” bred by the late Mr. J. P, 
Cook. 
“ Young Touchstone” and Royal Albion” were not placed, 
but all the other horses entered w^ere present. Early in the 
morning they were subjected to a strict examination by the 
society’s veterinary inspector, Professor Brown, late of the 
Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, but now of London. 
At ten o’clock the judges—for thoroughbred hacks or hunters 
—Mr. Walters, of Salisbury, and Mr. Gibson, land steward 
to Sir Lawrence Palk; for horses for agricultural purposes— 
Mr. Badham, of Norfolk, and Mr. Wippell, of Barton; com¬ 
menced the performance of their duties in the presence of a 
select number of persons especially interested in the matter, 
and thus for the first time in the annals of the society was 
the plan of open judging inaugurated. 
The show of thoroughbreds was inferior, and left the judges 
an easy task in awarding to Ratan” the first prize of £50. 
This horse, although now 22 years of age, had all the points 
of a good thoroughbred, including swiftness and energy, that 
could not be approached by either of his competitors. His 
legs, from the knee downwards, are the lean ideal of the per¬ 
fect animal; his beautiful head is finely set on a neck of 
faultless contour; his oblique shoulders give a good earnest 
of good action and greater strength, as do his well-formed 
legs of speed. Everyone who saw him was profuse in his 
praise, and some of the best authorities in these matters un¬ 
hesitatingly pronounced him to be the finest thoroughbred 
ever seen in Devonshire. One curious circumstance in con¬ 
nection with the history of this animal may not be out of 
place here. About nineteen years ago he was entered for the 
