The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-12-13 00:00:00

SMITHFIELD CATTLE SHOW.

The display of fat animals at the Smithfield Show,
which was opened on Monday in the Agricultural
Hall, was completely unequalled in the eighty-seven
years' history of the Club for the number of cattle
and sheep entered, and, in many of the classes, also
for the exceedingly high quality prevailing. The
largest number of cattle up to the present year was
248, in 1882; but the entries in the corres-
ponding classes this year were 261. In sheep
the highest total hitherto reached was 191
pens last year; this time, the number of pens
was 213. Pigs, however, showed a reduction--
namely, 67 pens, instead of 79 as last year, and 84
in 1882. The increase in the cattle classes was not
due to the Devon, Hereford, or Sussex breeds, or to
the Shorthorns ; but it arose from a greater muster
of 44 Scotch cattle, and most of all from an unprece-
dented entry of cross-breeds, which, with the extra
stock, numbered 53 animals. With regard to the
show in respect of quality, if every breed had been as
splendidly represented as the Devons, we should have
to exalt it to a place far above all its predecessors in
merit. In the full class of steers not exceeding two
years old all the animals had a general perfection of
form and weight of ripe meat which would have ex-
cited astonishment a dozen years ago. Herefords
were a fine display; a better show of Sussex cattle
never appeared at Islington ; Shorthorns were so
numerous and good that an additional prize
was given in two of the steer classes,
and in the class of heifers ; cross breeds
formed wonderful classes, and there was a favourable
representation of the red polled breed of Norfolk and
Suffolk. At noon on Monday the Prince of Wales
visited the hall, accompanied by the Duke of Edin-
burgh and Count Festetics, shortlyafterwards followed
by the Princess Louise and the Marquiis of Lorne.
The Earl of Jersey, President of the Smithfield Club,
Sir W. Gordon-Cumming, Mr. Robert Leeds, Mr.
Alfred Crosskill, and other member, of the Council
and of the Agricultural Hall CompariY, conducted the
Royal party through the show, the Judging proceeding
meanwhile. For awarding the three champion
honours for best male, best female, and best in the
hall, a jury of three was, by the rule of the club,
empanelled from the three sets of judges, the selection
being Mr. Thomas Cooper, Mr: Richard Woods, and
Mr. Alexander Beddie. In competition for the cup for
the best steer or ox, they had before them Mr. Robert
Wortley's light-roan cross-bred—a wonderful bullock
having a live weight of 23cwt. lqr. 131 b. at three
years, six months, and two weeks old, marvellous in
top, capacious girth and depth through the heart, and
amenable only to the criticism that he is scarcely
deep enough in flank, and though standing a trifle
narrow behind, his rounds of beef are by no means
defective. Against this Norwich champion came
Mr. Hugh Gorringe's specially level, shapely,
and well-covered shorthorn steer; the Queen's
Hereford steer, grand on back, loin, and
especially in chine, girth, and forequarter;
the Queen's Devon steer, wonderfully good in hind-
quarter as well as on the top, and also in front; and
Mr. Taylor's very prime red poll. The judges could
not get away from the 'Wortley bullock, which pos-
sibly fills a tape well nigh as long as that measuring
over Oft., which compassed the famous shorthorn
steer of another Mr. Wortley in 1857. Mr. Gorringe's ,
shorthorn came next in merit, as "reserve," though '
some critics would have gone for the Queen's Hereford.
For the silver cup for the best female the three judges
selected Mr. John Strachan's Scotch polled heifer
(which ultimately conquered) ; the Queen's shorthorn
heifer, very perfect in form, and of beautiful type of
the breed, and Mr. John Cran's cross-bred heifer.
For the champion 100 guinea plate the final com-
petition included the Wortley cross-bred bullock,
the Gorringe shorthorn steer, the Strachan Scotch
polled heifer, and two first-prize animals from the
extra-stock classes—namely, Mr. Baillie Hamilton's
Irish shorthorn steer and Mr. Richard Stratton's
shorthorn heifer. A few minutes sufficed for award-
ing the red-and-green rosette to the cross-bred,
leaving the Gorringe shorthorn as " reserve," and the
Scotch polled heifer as third in the order of merit.
Among the other prize-winners the Queen exhibited
the be3t specimens of the Devon, Hereford, and short-
horn breeds, and the Prince of Wales and the Duke
of Edinburgh were also successful.