The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-08-14 00:00:00

WORCESTERSHIRE AGRIC UL TUR AL

SOCIETY.

The society having resolved to hold its anniver-
sary this year in the suburbs of Worcester, the in-
habitants of the "faithful city," as it behoved them
to do, energetically seconded the efforts of the com-
mittee to render the visit to the capital of the county
satisfactory to all parties concerned; the result being
a programme arranged upon a very liberal scale, and
I a considerable increase of exhibitors. The site fixed
upon was at Darbourne ; and the show which opened
on Tuesday, under discouraging auspices as.to the
weather is much above the standard to which pro-
vincial societies generally attain. In the cattle de-
partment the Short Horns, of which, notwithstanding
a largo per centage of absentees, caused probably by
the prevalence of foot and mouth disease in the
midland districts, about sixty were upon the ground,
constituted the most prominent feature. The bulls
exceeding two years old, of which ten put in an ap-
pearance, were again headed by the Marquis of
Exeter's veteran Telemachus, which won Earl Beau-
champ's cup, value £25, for the best bull of the
breed, and the Toddington Challenge Cup,ivalue fifty
guineas, presented by Lord Sudeley; for the best
Short Horn, male or female, of any age. In the
absence of his old antagonist, Lord Irwin, he was
unquestionably:entitled to the pre-eminence, although
he begins to show signs of wear and tear, and the
swelling of his right knee impedes his locomotion.
The second prize in the class was awarded to Mr. R.
Stratton's Protector. The only candidates in the
class for bulls above two years old, the property of
'tenant farmers resident in Worcestershire, were Mr.
T. M. Hopkins, Lower Wick (first), and Mrs. Pyke,
Mitten (second) both of whose animals were bred by
Earl Beauchamp. With bulls above one and under
two years old, Mr. Joseph Stratton was first for an
uncommonly good roan, and the Marquis of Exeter
second, with a son of Telemachus, who does no dis-
credit to his famous sire. Of the bulls under two
years old, the property of tenant farmers in Wor-
cestershire, Mr. Thomas Harris's roan was first, and
Mr. Viveash's white (Hudibras)—a prize-taker at
Taunton and Leamington—second; both animals
being also entered in the preceding class. The first
place among cows in milk or in calf was assigned
to Mr. Joseph Stratton, for a thick-fleshed, useful-
looking, but patchy roan; and the second to the
Marquis of Exeter, for Moll Gwynne, a daughter of
Telemachus; the first prize for tenant-farmers' cows
being awarded to Mr. Harris, for an animal of
pleasing character, which it was said had been
brought from grass; and the second to Mr. Wood-
ward, of Hardwick Bank. In a small class of two-
year-old heifers in milk, Mr. Joseph Stratton was
first, with a compact, level roan, having good hair,
and a mellow touch, though somewhat lacking in
scale, at the age of two years and nearly eight
months; and Earl Beauchamp second; but both, in
our estimation, had a formidable opponent in a
stylish heifer of his own breeding, sent by Mr. John
Limbrick, of Iron Acton. The yearling heifers were,
numerically, the strongest of the Short Horn divi-
sions • and as a whole they were praiseworthy. Here
tbe Marquis of Exeter occupied the premier position
with a well-grown and forward roan under twenty
mouths old, a grand-daughter of Telemachus, which,
after long deliberation on the part of the judges, bore
away the palm for the cup, value £lO, given by E.
W.Haywood, Esq., for the best cow or heifer in the
exhibition. The second prize was won by QUbCII of
Ithaca, a neat roan with remarkably fine loins, sent
by Mr. Thomas Kingsley, of Tring, Herts ; and the
third by the Marquis of Exeter with Telemacina, a
-daughter of Telemachus.

Tie Hertfords were in a minority, the entries
numbering only about one-third those of the Short
Horns. Of seven bulls exceeding two years old only
three came into the arena; but two of these were
already distinguished, namely, Tredegar, belonging
to and bred by Mr. William Taylor, of Showle Court,
Ledbiuy, and Winter de Cote, belonging to Mrs.
Edwards, of Wintercott, Leominster. The former,
after making his debut at Dudley, in 1874, was first
of the bulls under three years old in therecent 5..42w
of the Royal Agricultural Society, at Taunton, as44ie
was here for bulls above two years old; and the
latter was first at the Bedford Royal in 1874, but at
Dudley, a few weeks later, had to change places with
Messrs. Fenn and Harding's Bachelor. At Taunton
he took first honours for bulls ahove three years old;
but on this occasion he was vanquished by his youth-
ful rival, who was in admirable condition. Mr.
Evans's Von Moltke, a prize taker at the Cardiff
Royal in 1872, was highly commended. The bulls
above one and under two years old were a very meri-
torious tria, as may be inferred from the fact that
two of them were sent by Mr. Wm. Taylor, who car-
ried off the first and third prizes—the latter with
Taunton, so named on account of his having been
first in his class at the late Royal show; the pair
being divided by Mr. Evans's Alphonse, r. promising
son of Tredega. In a small .class of cows, Mr. Tho-
mas Fern, Ludlow, was first with Lady Stanton, a
first prize taker at Taunton, Bristol, Hereford, and
elsewhere, but which two of the judges, we believe
considered defective not only in her back but in her
rumps and thighs; and Mrs. Edwards second. The
heifers were few, but good; Mr. John Harding,
Bridgnorth, and Mr. J. Fountain, Ripple taking the
honours for the two-year-olds; and Mr. Evans and
Mrs. Edwards those for yearlings.
The Sheep were only moderate; but the Shrop-
shires were fairly represented both as to numbers
and quality. Mrs. Smith was first, and Mr. W. F.
Firmstone, Churchill Court, second, for ewes, with
good specimens; the prizes for theaves going to
Mr. Joseph Fully and Mr. Firmstone for
meritorious pens. Among the shearling rams,
which were the strongest class, Mr. Joseph Pulley
took the lead, with an exceptionally good one,
which ran a grand Cotswold, sent by Mr. Swanwick,
faom Cirencester, a very close run for the cup given
by the Local Committee for the best sheep of all
classes. The Oxford Downs were indifferent; and
the South Downs numbered only four prizes—.
three first and one second—were awarded. The
long-woolled classes consisted of Lincolns and
Cotswolds; the prizes for ewes being gained by
Mr. T. W. D. Harris, Woetton, with the former,
and those for theaves and rams by Mr. Swanwick
(five) and Mr. Raynbird, Basingstoke, (one) with
the latter.

The pigs were an excellent collection; nearly
every entry in the classes for boars and sows of
the small breeds being named in the prize list.
The most successful exhibitors in this department
were Mr. Duckering, the Executors of Messrs.
Wheeler and Sons, Mrs. Hewer, Mr. Dove, Mr.
Richard Fowler, and Mr. Swanwick.
The collection of Horses of all kinds was exten-
sive. The first prize for stallions of any age, suit-
able for agricultural purpose, was awarded to Mr.
Wynu's Nonpariel, a powerful active animal; and
the second to Messrs. Yeomans for Pride of Eng-
land, •which was first at Laamington last week;
the best of agricultural stallions under three years
old being Mr. Stephen Davis's General. The
thorough-bred stallions prize open to all England,
was again won by Citadel; and that for thorough-
bred stallions which have been regularly on ser-
vice in the county during 1875, or certified to be so
in 1876, by Statesman, the property of Mr. Walker,
M.P., which occupied a similar position at Dudley
last year. The best of the five-year-old hunters
equal to 15 stone, was Mr. W. Smith's Eayo ; and
the best hunter equal to 12 stone, Mr. Goodliff's
Lady Mary; and the best five-year-old hunter
without condition as to weight, Earl of Coventry's
Simon Pure. Mr. G. B. Jones showed the best mare
for breeding hunters; Mr. G. Carless the best
hack not exceeding 15 hands; and Mr. T. H. Ash-
ton the best pony.