Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1907-08-29
LIVE STOCK SHOW
That Offered by West Michigan
State Fair Rivals the Best
Seen in Country.
PREMIUMS THE RICHEST EVER
State Legislature Appropriates 5000
for Premiums ALL Michigan
Class Created - Ponies
Get Fat Prizes.

The exhibits OF cattle and horses ut
the West Michigan State Fair Sep
TENDER to IL inclusive, will far sur
pass any ever given before in Grand
Rapids. And there is reason. The
state legislature made m appiopria
for Michigan exhibitors only, which
enabled the fair management to dup
licate all cattle classes. one "open to
ALL" the other for Michigan exhibitors
only. In the Horse Department the
amount of premiums offered was in
creased from 5000 last year TO more
than $4,000 this year. The total pre-
miums offered this year aggregate SIS
600 compared with $4,000 last year.
This big premium list is bound TO
bring the best herds of Michigan and
neighboring states in the cattle line.
AYRSHIRE cattle have been shown at
Eastern Fairs for several years past
but are comparatively new breed in
this state. They come into sharp com
petition with the Jerseys and will re-
celve prominent attention at the West
Michigan Fair. Several herds have
entered this year for the first time
and they are expected TO awaken 4
wide degree Of interest among breed
ers and patrons of the exposition.
Many Other Glasses.
There is every prospect that the
live stock exhibits will far surpass any
like show ever gathered together in
Western Michigan. one of the biz
features of the Fair will he the
parade of all prize winning horses and
cattle. both "Wednesday and Thursday
and i'm these parades large number
OF animals will be shorthorns. \
class which will he Il close second wiz
be the HerefordS; and the Aberdeen
Angus will also he well represented.
II is not the men alone who are at
tracted by the dairy cattle. for the
women of Michigan of whom thou
sands will visit the West Michigan
Fair this year are all Interested. The
Jerseys. Holstein-FreSians. AyreShileS,
Guernseys and Brown Swiss are all to
be exhibited in greater numbers than
ever before. The special dairy test,
feature of the Fair for the first time
last year, Will he repeated this year
This test is under the supervision of
the State Dairy and Food Department
The premiums offered are 500 for
the most economical production o.
milk, during Fair week, foT all pul-
poses Of dairying and based upon the
cost of feed and the value of milk and
butter fat produced.
In the horse department Secretary
Conger has received inquiries from
breeders who have not shown here
In years past. many of them from
long distance ana in greater number
than ever before. This unusual inter
est Is probably caused by the in
creased premiums offered this season
The grand cavalcade of all prize win
ming horses and cattle will he by far
the most pretentious ever seen.
| The Martin Draft Horse Trophy is
also attracting increased intention
This is premium offered for the best
draft team of any age. owned i'm Mich
igan. In addition to the trophy offered
for the best draft team. cash prizes
also will be given this year. SD with
the trophy for the best. 500 to the
second. SO to the third and so TO the
i fourth. Drivers OF the best ten
teams will he awarded prizes ranging
from So to 81.
Illustrating this increased interest
the records show there were two draft
teams In competition for this trophy
in 1908. ten in 1906. while this season
all indications point to there being as
many as twenty.
The premiums offered for Shetland
ponies and for ponies other than Shet
land show n substantial increase over
those offered last year. While a totai
OF $l75 was offered I'm premiums for
the Shetlands last year, this has been
increased to $347 this season. This
will most certainly make the exhibits
offered in these lines proportionately
better.
Mules Not Overlooked.
In years past no premiums were of
fered for mules. This year Il new
class was made for them and the
prospects are good for fine showing
OF these most useful animals. The
total OF the premGms offered in this
special class amounts to 1852.
For carriage horses. saddlers and
light harness horses there Is n long
list Of rich purses offered. In these
classes speed. conformation. color.
style. gait. manners. biting and shoe
inn "a. III oil 10 ...,nnilnnnL Ia n. -.