Annual Report of the 
350 
HORSE DEPARTMENT. 
BY JOHN L. MITCHELL, SUPERINTENDENT. 
The number of horses at the Wisconsin State Fair of 1874, held 
in Milwaukee, was larger than that of any preceding year, filling 
two hundred and thirty stalls. Many inferior horses obtained stall- 
room with no intention of competing for premiums, to the dislodg¬ 
ing of more worthy animals. I think a charge for each stall would 
prevent this abuse. The average quality was up to the standard of 
former years. 
The prominent feature of the horse-department was the draft- 
class, including Clydesdales and Normans. It was, undoubtedly, 
the largest and best collection of horses ever together in this state, 
and shows the tendency towards avoirdupois among breeders. H. 
B, Sherman and William Worden, of Burnett, were large exhibitors 
of Normans, and R. Ogilvie, of Madison, T. Irving, of Mukwanago, 
and William Storey, of Waupun, of Ctydesdales, Last but not least, 
unless twenty-three hundred pounds in weight may be so considered, 
came George Murray, of Racine, with his Clyde horse Donald Din- 
nie. This large animal w r as the great attraction of the fair. 
A reasonable opinion prevailed on the ground that the two breeds 
(Clydesdale and Norman) ought, from their dissimilar characteris¬ 
tics, to have been judged separately. 
Of thoroughbreds, there were but two, both belonging to John 
Corrigan, of Cedarburg. This, with the failure to fill up the run¬ 
ning races, proves the lack of thoroughbreds in Wisconsin,—in fact 
they can be counted on one’s fingers. 
The roadster-class was strong, as is usual in this country of whirl¬ 
ing wheels. Conspicuous were the stables of George D. Doubleday, 
of Whitewater, and Richard Richards, of Racine. The latter gen¬ 
tleman’s display in u best stallion and five of his get,” of his horse 
u Swigert,” produce, was a grand and fitting finale to the exhib¬ 
itors in the ring. 
