The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-06-07 00:00:00

HE HORSE SHOW.

The twenty-first annual Metropolitan Horse Show
opened on Saturday morning at the Agricultural Han,
in London, under very favourable auspices. The
judges this year for hunters were the Hon. Henry
Bourke, Colonel Kingscote, C. 8., M.P., and Mr.
Ge.oge Allsopp ; in hacks and harness horses, Lord
Charles Beresford, Mr. It. Fort, M.P., and Mr.
Anthony Hammond.
The hunters comprised the first four classes—
entries numbers, 1 t• 106 inclusive. In Class 1,
hunters up to not less than 15 stone, Grenadier (Mr.
A. J. Brown) was placed Ist; Al (Mr. Errol Ross-
Smith)' 2nd; and Contest (Mr. Saville Middleton),
3rd. The next class was for hunteee up to
13 stone—a large strong set of horses; Ist prize,
Hesper (Mi. W. (h (tilt) ; 2nd, OicsAcix (Hon.
F. C. Morgan, M.P.) ; 3rd, Alderman (Mr.
Virestley Richards) The next class was for hunters
under 13 stone. Mese were perhaps the best
class of all, and they consequently took longest to
judge. Shamrock (Mr. J. Rutherford) was Ist, to
the approbation of the hunting men present • a bay
of Sir Talbot Clifford Constable'ri, 2nd; and impress
(Mr. S. Gale), 3rd. The fourth was a four-year-old
class: Ist Prize, Garrison (Mr. Kevil) ' • 2nd Chest-
nut (Mr. Phipps); 3rd, Wild Brian (Mr. Whitehead).
The final scene in this stage of the day's business was
the discovery of the champion hunter, to whom was
given the special prize of £5O and the Agricultural
Hall Medal. The award, amidst general applause,
went to Shamrock, though for a while it seemed not
improbable that Grenadier would be the lucky horse.
Hacks succeeded hunters in the ring,
.and the
judges personally tested the choicest selections, Lord
Charles Beresford most successfully throwing dis-
credit upon the general idea as to the figure cut by a
sailor on horseback. Under the guns of Alexandria,
behind a spanking team in the park, or in the pig-
skin, the noble lord indeed seems equally at home.
In the larger class of hacks, Nobleman (Mr. R.
Webb) was Ist; Bangle, a fine red horse (Lady
Caroline Gordon Lennox), 2nd; and Peacock (Mr.
J. D. Dunn), 3rd. In the weight carriers, a
poor class, Princess (Mr. J. Robinson, who
showed her off to perfection), was Ist;
Queen of Fashion ilfr. C. W. Blacklock) 2nd;
and Lady Shrewsbury (Mr. John Robinson), 3rd.
Many of the hacks in this class were undoubtedly
weight-carriers, bat they had no other claim for
approval, and were soon sent away a discarded batch.
In the class of hacks, 15.2 hands and under, Mr. John
Robinson had several horses that bore unmistakable
evidences of his method of culture. His Lady Julia
was Ist, Mrs. H. Frisby's Cardiff 2nd, and Mr.
Grant's clockwork 3rd. A lively young roan named
Perfection did his rider the honour of throwing him
during the preliminary movements on the tan. The
ladies' hacks were the last class judged, the prizes
going to Empress (Mr. W. West), Miss Sykes (Mr.
Whitehead), and the Lady (Mr. Sudbury), in the
order named.

On Monday the judges resumed their task betimes,
and got through the remaining classes fairly early.
Out of four dozen cobs ten of the best were event-
ually picked for more rigorous inspection, and these
were very carefully tested, the result being that
Apology (Mr. J. Robinson) was first, Dainty (Mr. H.
Frisby) second, and Magpie (Mr. W. Pope) third.
Ponies showed a falling off in numbers, but not in
quality; indeed, a prettier lot than the first half-
dozen we have not seen at a show. The Judge
(Captain Moreton Thomas) was first; Canary,
a charming dun mare (Mrs. Henry Frisby)
second; and Merry Legs (Mr. A. Lewis) third. The
harness horses came ncxt, imparting, with the ad-
ditions of fine vehicles and faultless harness, new
liveliness to the proceedings. The first prize for
single harness horses of the larger size was given to
Mr. Burdett Coutte's Fashion. His competitors were
a grey, Marvellous (Mr. Blacklock), 2nd prize, and a
black:Atalanta (Sir T. C. Constable) 3rd. Fashion
was undoubtedly the handsomest horse; but some of
the critics fancied that the others showed better in
action. In the class not over 15 and not under 14
hands, Lady Shrewsbury (Mr. J. Robinson), Maritana.
(Mr. W. Pope), and Joan (Capt. Stanley Williams)
were Orst, second, and third respectively. Out of a
capital class of single harness ponies, Magpie (Mr. W.
Pope) was first, and Lady Elgee (Mr. A. Verity)
second. Black Rose and Mignonette, a black and
bay (Mr. J. Hadland) were first in the double harness
class, over 15 hands, and Wild Goose and Wild Duck,
a pair of blacks (Mr. T. S. Greenway) second. In the
smaller size, Beauty and Bella (browns, 15 hands high
(Mr. H. Gold),and Mr. John Robinson's Lady Julia
and Lady Shrewsbury, a well-matched pair of blacks,
took the two prizes. The first prize for pony
pairs went to Miss Maud Gilbey, and the second to
Mr. noraoe Barry. Last to be judged were the
roadster stallions, to which four prizes were given.
A considerable weeding out was effected before the
judges were left to the final choice out of a very
good half-dozen, and their awards were-1, Reality
(Mr. W. Flanders); 2, Fashiox (Mr. J. Grout) • 3,
Lord Bang (Mr. S. Bose); 4, County Member (if.r.
T. Reoa )