Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-12
A GREAT BENCH-SH0W
IHTERYsTIrG FACTS ABOUT THIS rgA-
TURE OF THE EXPOSITION.
Over $4,000 In Prizes, the Best Judges
0btainable, aud Dogs from All
Parts Of the Union.

Parts Of the Union.
The dog.show at the Exposition under the
auspices Of the Virgins Field.sports Asso-
eiation promises to be 4 great success. The
large posters OF this show which are being
put up here and widely circulated through
out the couutry generally are very attractive.
The Virginia FieId.Sports Association has
applied for membership in the American
Kennel Cub. SO that the prizes il offers VIII
be recognized everywhere, aud has been adj
yscd that it will be elected on the 18th In
slant.
JUDGES.
The bench-show management has secured
the following judges:
For Pointers. Settlers, and Chesapeake
Bay Dogs-Mr. J. ". Tracy, OF Greenwich,
Conn.
For Fox-Hounds and Beagles-C Colonel F..
G. skinner, Of the Iurf, Field, and fGr1n.
For Non-SportiDg Classes-Mr. James
Mortimer, superintendent OF the Westmln'
ster Kennsls. Babylon, Long Island.
For Spanels A. G. Wilmerding, oil
New York, secretary OF the American Ken
mel Club.
NO better Judges could he secured. Be-
sides being noted all over the country as an
excellent and experienced Judge. Mr.. Tracy
Is by general cor sent the greatest painter OF
sporting sketches in this country.
Colonel skinner Is the most famous fox
hunter 10 America and an unquestioned au'
thoriiy IN all sporting matters.
Mr.. Mortimer Is not only superintendent
OF the great Westminster kennels, but has
Judged most acceptAbly IN many OF the
northeru shows.
Mr. Wilmcrdiug Is also exceedingly well
known and approved as a firstelass Judge.
PRIZES.
The prizes offered are the same in amount
and the classes are the same as those OF the
Westminster Kennel Club. The standard
prizes aggregate over 81 600, and to these
are being added daily in the form OF specials
sums which Will make the whole aggregate
over g, 500.
AIreaGy the Fox.Terrier Club Of America
! has given a special prize OF $50 for the best
exhibit, and the Collie Club and Pointer
club, the MastiG Club. the Beagle Cldb, and
a number of the other leading clubs have
promised TO CHIP in and give the show q
boom.
Correspondence is already beginning to
pour In, aud the bench-show management
feel assured from the interest and kind feel
ing shown by the sporting journals and dog
owners IN all sections OF the country that
they Will have a really grand representative
exhibit.
Spratrs American Company have taken
the contract 10 feed, bench, and care for the
dogs ana 10 dIsiufect the show. Mr. George
III. Hill, OF Madeira. Ohio, is the superin-
tendcnt. He has been superintendent OF
81 fhg 10 -vaa and most slpCpsS Sftll
shows in the country.
FOX HUNTING.
Our people when they see the wonderful
mastiiIS, st. Bernards, and other non-sport-
ing dogs will no doubt be astonishcd; our
spCrtsmen when they see the wonderful ar
ray Of settlers and pointers will be hungry foi
them no doubt. But in return for this II ~
proposed TO give the visitors a new feature
in dog-shows. Tho Virginia foX-hounds
will be run after live foxes every day and
there will be witnessed such foX-huntlng as
has not been seen since Wellngton's hounds
hunted for the Peninsula troops. The
management are advertising now for live
foxes and the letter from Mr. Wise to hr.
Belmont published below will give some
lnkling OF what may be expected.
THE OUTLOOK.
On the whole, the bench-show gives pro-
mise OF being n grand success, not only In
numbers and quality OF the dogs, but in the
novel features Just referred to, and the Dis
match wishes It's promoters every sort Of good
luck in an enterprise undertaken by them
not for profit, but from public spirit.
Dir. wIsE's LETTER.
The following is Mr.Wise's letter, referred
TO above:
BENCH-SHOw MANAGEMENT OF Tue
VIRGINIA FELD.SPORIs ASSOCIATION,
AT THE VIRGINIA A., NJ. & 7. EXPOSITION.
BENCH-SHOw OCTOBER ., 10, II, & II, 1883. ;
ENTRIES CLOSE OCTOBER 1sT.
Room 90, SHAFEE's BUILDING,
RICHMOND, Va, July II, 1888.
Mr. Auq1ist Beimont. Jr., President Ameri-
can FOR Terrier GLIB, 80 Wal Street, Mem
York:
MY Dear Sir,-Accept my sincere thanks
for your letter OF the 9th, and allow me TO
express my grateful appreciation OF the
prompt and generous action OF your club In
Offering a special for iOx-terriers. That
spirit on behalf OF our friends will make our
show what we are trying to have it-one OF
the flrest in the country.
/ send sou by this mail two copies OF our
large posters. May trouble you to have them
posted at your clubI
| call your special attention TO our fox
hound feature. / find from quite an exten-
siye correspondence that many OF our north
ern sportsmen are disappointed in their i'm
portatiens OF English fox-hounds and are
turning TO the old Virginia stock as better
acclnated and adapted to American sport.
Lately | haye had several inquiries for The
"bue.moitIed" hound, which ia said to be
the true type OF the old southern hound,
which was the basis OF the British fox hound,
and which, while there are good many OF
them here Is said 10 be almost extinct in
England. Moved by these considerations we
propose to spare no effort TO get the finest
sort OF collection OF Virginia fox-bounds, in
eluding as many OF the old bue-mottled as
we can induce TO come.
We have secured Colonel f. G.. skinner,
OF the Turf, Field and Fdr1n. to Judge
hounds and beasles. and as he ~ probably
the most celebrated fox.huuter in the coun-
try think that will be a guarantee 10 the
outside world.
| have also taken steps 10 secure as many
live red foxes as | can obtain, and pro-
pose 10 have run every day Of the show
after the first. The dogs will be In charge
Of Edmund Winston and John Haw, two OF
the best foX.hunters in our State, and l
want you and as many OF your friends as
you can induce 10 come here and see the
sport. II will be no red-herring or ani>e-
seed bag hunt, but red-hOt chase from start
10 finish over a tough country after fiyisg
brush. The season OF the year is beautiful
for snch sport October 9th TO 1@b), and II
you will make up party in New York you
can bripg your horses by The Old Dominion
route, and some OF your English dogs, II you
choose, so az to test the relative merits OF
native and imported dogs to the best ad-
vantage. hope you will encourage me 10
this idea and let me bear from you.
You are welcome to publish this In anv OF
the sporting Journals If you feel so disposed.
Yours very truly,
JOuS S. WISE, President.