The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-09-11
GREAT INCREASE
IN FAIR AWARDS
Largest Premium List Ever
Offered Exhibitors.
All Departments OF West Michiuan
State Fair, Sept. 14-18, will be
Observation-Disclosures Associa,
tions Swell Total Of $4,000 in
Prizes by Special Offers to Live
Stock Exhibitors.

The prize list for the West Michi.
gan State air, which will be held
IN Grand Rapids the week of Sept.
l4-1S, has been announced by Secre-
tary e. d. Conger. 1t is larger, bet
ter and more comprehensive than ever,
an aggregate of $4,000 in purses and
premiums being offered. OF this
amount $4,000 is for fair premiums
proper, the balance of $4,000 being
hung up for racing purses.
The appropriation by the legislature
OF $4,000 a year for premiums at the
West Michigan Fair has enabled the
premium committee to materially in
crease the number and amount of the
awards in the various departments.
In consequence the inducements Of
Tered to Michigan farmers and stock
raisers to exhibit their products are
exceptional, and are certain to bring
out the best the state has to offer.
Just how greatly the increase af.
fects the different departments can
best be seen by comparison of the
awards in q few of them. In the
horse department, for instance. $4,000,
approximately. has been set aside, as
against about $4,000 last year: in the
cattle department the amount has been
Increased from $500 to $4.517. The
same ratio Of increase 10 maintained
In the other departments, and In the
cattle, sheep and swine departments
the number Of premiums has been
Increased from three to four in each
class, the aim being to more widely
distribute the premium money. Prize
winners will not only have the glory
of winning ribbons at the fair, but
the satisfaction Of taking away with
them something more substantial as
an incentive to future exhibits.
And, in addition to the increase In
premiums, the fair is this year recog.
nized by larger number of breeders
associations than has ever been the
case before. Special prizes, which do
not figure in the regular list of awards,
consisting of gold medals, are offered
to West Michigan fair exhibitors by
the Percheron Society of America,
for both Percheron stations and
mares.
The Holstein-Fresian Breeders AS
ISOLATION has recognized for two years
past the growing Importance of this
fair by offering series Of special cash
prizes in the Holstein classes. The
American Shorthorn Breeders Asso-
citation has followed suit this year,
and a class for Ayrshires has been
created for the first time, in which a
full list of cash awarss and champion
ship ribbons are offered.
In the sheep department two or
three breeders associations have come
to the front with offers similar to
those of the Percheron society and
the cattle breeders associations.
A department that is entirely new
this year, and which promises to be
a strong drawing card, is that of pho
Biography, both amateur and profess
sional, in which prizes worth while
are offered.
From every point of view the West
Michigan State Fair is certain to ex-
eel all previous attempts in the exhi-
bition line ever promoted in this Sec
ton. With added departments and
more and better exhibits attracted by
the increased premium list, there is
every reason to believe that it will
prove the greatest attraction of the
year.
Prospective exhibitors may secure
the official catalogue on application
to E. D. Conger, secretary, Grand
Rapids, Mich.