BRITISH LIVE STOCK AT THE PARIS EXHIBITION.

Clutha Leader, Volume IV, Issue 217, 6 September 1878, Page 6

BRITISH LIVE STOCK AT THE PARIS EXHIBITION.

AEJxtracts from tiie c North British Agriml

tm-ist,' of i%thJ.une, 1878,

Scotland for. cattle, and England for sheep and pigs. Such in brief is the result of nearly th^ee' days' hard work I of the jurors. .among the .1700 cattle, 825 odd slieep, and 380 pigs which are now assembled at Paris from various countries. The jurors com menced, what in many cases turned' out to be an arduous task, on Friday morning. On that day most of the British award.s I were 'made, but a sufficient amount of work. was left for Saturday to involve a 'postponement of the champion — the group or extra, competitions— fill,.* Sunday. In other words, the, great, trial of international strength, : the more sensa'-'* ;tional tussels pf the r meeting, were reserved* for what Britons are happily accustomed to call Sabbatli, and generally regard as such, - This, to Britons! curious phase of the subject, we shall take. leave'' of, with the remark that- over thirty jurors were busily engaged, from 7 a.m. till 1 p.m". on Sunday last, in jprSsence of a large an d by no A means unattentiver crpwd., „ „ . .. j . Since we have only to deal with results, 'it --'roust-' l>e ; i 'admitted that -tile United Kingdom, has great reason. to, be satisfied with the final avvarcls. Of all tiie •--cattle--''*" born '• and -. : bred.- - out = of | France,'' Scptland.was, declared. ; to t .haye the first and second, and England ' the 'third be^t r gWu^s*;'*; while ' -to- Scotland fell the great honour of ,furpishing;the ; best collection of beef-making cattle in ; the Exhibition.-- I*'1 *' England secured the ; champion .-.prize.s.for.sheep.^nji pig^rf j This is indeed a proud week for Tilly.-} four and for the polled Angus or AberA deen breed of cattle, Mr M'Combie

having > been adjudged v the LIOO. .prize „ for the best" group of cattlp", bred by exhibitor, and reared out of Franc*? ; and the- L-IPQ for the bflst lot of beefmaking* animals, bred by exhibitor, reared and fed in any country, besides over" LIOO in ordinary class prize money, and several gold and silver medals., That is no doubt a great honour to Scotland's "cattle king.'** and, a gratification to breeders of black polled cattle generally, but it is not all that has to be recorded to the credit of the " black-skins.'' Mr M'Corobie's successful group numbered six animals, and other six of the same breed from Ballitiflalloch hot merely ranked second in. the contest, but in some respects had prior claims to Mr iM'Combie's. The distinguished appearance which black cattle have made at the Exhibition may be imagined from the fact, that of the fifteen shown twelve were the best of ali foreign breeds, and the remaining three included the : fi**st and second prize cows, and the second prize aged bull. While there is thus a good representation of polled cattle in every class, there is nothing approaching " a weed," which can hardly be said of any other breed of cattle. Every black polled animal has a ticket of some hind.

The exhibits of Mr Duncan, of Bonmore, are alone in the West Highland classes. His three-year-old light dun bull, bred at Bochastle, which was first in the two-year-old class in the Edinburgh Highland Show ia 1877 is looking well, displaying long shaggy hair, and other fashionable characteristics of the breed. He readily got the first prize of L2B, while the first of Ll6 for the best cow was deservedly awarded to a six-year-old shaggy dun, also bred at. Bochastle, and the . third winner at Edinburgh last year, as also the first in the three-year class at the Glasgow Highland Show in 1875.

The Messrs Robertson, Ireland, are the only exhibitors of Kerry cattle, and carry first prizes with good specimens. Before a jury of fourteen, several groups of cattle were paraded fbr tbe LIOO prize offered to the best collection of animals bred out of France, and including not less than one bull and four females, all bred by the exhibitor. The lots were by-and-by, however, reduced to three— Tillyfour's polls, Ballindalloch's polls, and Lady Pigot's shorthorns. The latter comprised her ladyship's two second-prize bulls, two cows,, and a pair of heifers. They were good animals, but hardly made a first-cla-ss group of England's premier breed. All the Ballindalloch exhibits were in tho group — two bulls, two cows, and a pair of heifers. Mr M'Gombie had a similar number, including one bull, one cow, and four heifers.

While the onlookers believed the three groups were still in the race, the judges voted on the question of whether the shorthorn or the polls should win. Mr Jacob Wilson and another gentleman voted for the shorthorns. Mr H. D. Adamson led off for the blacks, and eleven of the jurymen' supported him. Thus, by a majority of twelve to two; the blacks triumphed, and Lady Pigot's lot were turned away.

The real difficulty, however, should have been still before the judges ; but hra short time, and apparently without; any further division, Mr M'Combie was awarded the coveted prize. Intrinsically, and perhaps individually, viewed, the Ballindalloch lot was the better ot the two ; and with a considerable number of people, especially foreigners, the great excellence of the old bull, and the cbartns of the dandy little heifer "Birthday," would, have pulled Sir George's group to tbe front. On the other hand, Mr M'Combie's lot was admirably graded. From the four-year old cow down to the little yearling bull, the decline was graduul. In the uniformity of the lot, and the great excellence of the heifers, lay Mr M'Combie's strength. .That their owner has had much experience in the " lotting" of cattle was rendered very evident, for his group was splendidly arranged,- and the animals benefited by the bloom of youth. In these circumstances Mr M'Combie's claims were very strong, although any judge of polled cattle must admit that a great mistake could not have been made either way.

The battle was not yet, however, all over with Tillyfour. He had to face all countries for the Ll 00 prize given to the best beef-making group. Thirtyone jurymen npw assembled, and a hard struggle ensued between a capital lot of shorthorns from France and Mr M'Combie's team. The British jurors worked hard for their country, and Mr Adamson pulled eagerly, and with no little tact for the polls. Ultimately he succeeded— 24l voting for the black lot, and 7 for the shorthorns. Mr M'Combie thus,- for' the second time, comes triumphantly pff with the championship of an international show." : '

The British jurors for, cattle were Mr AJ. Wilson, Woodhprn Manor, Northumberland, and Mr- EL D. Adamson, Bn]quMrn,A\fbrd : , J Aberdeen j for she.ep, Mr~ Huerh-Ayimer,. Norfolk ; for pigs and; extra stock, Mr J.\E*qs&-and Mr L. C. Chrisp, Hawkhili, Alnwick ; for poultry, .Mr 0. E. Cresswell and Mr M. LmoA ■•"---':-.■ *.. I AAaa -■•■

H.R.H. the Priuce of Wales visited th'eyicattle 'iS.e'ctionrjpn rSatvi.rdfiy-, ,apd, cod versing freely with Sir George Macpherso'h""Grant "and "Mr' M-"t*oi-nbi ; c,' ;; of -!'illy^puj:.<>hn,'drtheH pripcjpfil .animals i in the polled and shorthorn classes drawn but for the inspection of His Royal Highness.