Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1911-01-10
LOCAL LIVESTOCK Wins
POLK COUNTY COTSWOLDS AND
ANGORAS CAPTURE PRIZES.
Fine Exhibition of Blooded Sheen
and Goats Made at Portland
Show.

anu 0OdtS Mduc Ut HOflidnu
Show.
Polk County added another laure
to her already long and famous list o
livestock victories and placed hersel
squarely in the limelight of publicity
when Fred A. Koser, of Rickreall, wal
declared by the judges of the recen
Mid Winter Show in Portland to b,
the owner of the best long-wool ran
in the world. This ram possesses {
long Oregon ancestry, is a native o
this county, and won in competition
with the prize winners of the Roya
Sheep Show of Great Britain. 1t has
already attracted a great deal of ad.
miring attention, and following the
award a fine half-tone picture of il
was published in the Oregonan.
The numerous other prize-winning
exhibits from here further established
Polk County's reputation as the home
of blooded stock, and her breeders
may well be proud of the fact that
they carried off more prizes than were
taken by any other locality, either in
| Oregon or elsewhere. There were
several classes in which no animals
We're entered from here, but in Cots
void and Lincoln sheep and Angora
goats, local breeders were we'll repre-
| sented by a high class of animals, as
will be seen by the large number of
awards made them. In Cotswold
sheep Polk County breeders won II
prizes out of a possible 81 In the
Lincoln class, her winnings were 1S
out of total of 25-7 firsts; six sec
onds; and five thirds. In Angora
goats, the exhibition practically re-
solved itself into a competition be-
tween the breeders of this county, as
they won 22 out of a possible &C.
eight firsts, six seconds, and eight
thirds.
The Worlds Finest.
"Oregon sheep beat the world, said
Fl. Noel Gibson, of Millbrook, ~ Y,
when he finished the judging of the
exhibits of Cotswolds. Oregon has
won in competition with the prize
winners of the Royal Sheep Show of
Great Britain. F. w. Harding's sheep
notchers of the Royal Show last year,
and won everything in sight in that
country but your Cotswolds are bet
ter by many points. They are the fin
est I have ever seen. | do not believe
that you can find as fine sheep as you
have here any place in the world"
The Royal Sheep Show of Great
Britain, recognized as the worlds
greatest sheep show, last Fall made an
award to the best Cotswold yearling
ram. The ram and several others of
the same breed, all prize winners,
were bought by F. w. Harding, of
Waukesha, Wis, and brought to the
United States They have since been
exhibited at National and internation-
al shows and invariably We're prize
Portland at the National Mid Winter
Show, by a yearling ram of Fred A.
Koser of Rickreall, Polk County.
Worthy Victory.
Mr.. Harding said, speaking of his
defeat: Your sheep are the strongest
/ have ever seen, on either continent,
and l have had the pleasure of visiting
many of the sheep shows of the old
world. Most of my sheep are import
ed from the old country and some are
winners of the Royal Sheep Show
the highest class and best-known
sheep show in the world. Oregon's
winning of the prize is something to
be proud Of"
Mr.. Harding, who has Travelled with
his winning Cotswolds to many Ma
tional and international shows, was
not satisfied with the original decision
of Frank Brown, the judge, and re-
quested that it be reviewed by Mr..
Gibson, who confirmed the decision,
and declared his opinion that the ram
was the finest he ever had scored
well, Oregon wins against the best
ram in England, and that is recognized
as making it the best in the world,
said Mr. Harding. afterwards. Il
bought this yearling at the Royal
Sheep Show at Liverpool, when grand
championship prize was placed upon
il by the judges. I paid a fancy
price for him and this is the first time
| have met defeat since ] put him on
You have a climate SINH
lar TO that Of England, and | attribute
the result to climatic conditions more
than anything else. You have an ideal
country for the long wool sheep"
Mr.. Harding employed herder and
handler Of show sheep TO
care for his flock. Mr.. Koser handled
and prepared his own exhibit for the
show without assistance.
Ideal Climate.
BY winning the first prize in the
long wool competition at the National
Mid Winter Show, against royal prize
winners Of England. oregon has add
ed 500. 900 to her wealth and ever
lasting fame in the sheep industry, is
the belief Of DIR. James Withycombe. |
Of the Oregon Agricultural College, at
Corvallis.
"Orcgon's success in winning the
grand championship for rams" said
Dr. withycombe. lis proof Of my con-
tcntion that We have the best climate I
in the world for long wool ! have
preached this in and out Of school. I
The decision of the competent judges
Yesterday is specific evidence in sup /
port Of my contention. and I am GER
tain that Il Is worth 100000 10 Ore I
ron. The remarkable fact that we
have the best sheep in the world Is due
primarily to climatic conditions which /
produce a wide variety Of forage
plants for sheep and other livestock I
u g. an active demonstration OF the
uperiority of the oregon long wool .
sheen. when one 81 oregon ancestry !
for several generations wins I'm compe- d
fitfon with best selected stock 20 be .
found IN England. which IS also the