CLYDESDALE AND SHIRE HORSES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1731, 24 January 1885, Page 6

CLYDESDALE AND SHIRE HORSES.

The works to which we have now to direct the attention of breeders are the Dunmore or first volume of the "Clydesdale Stud Book," and the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth volumes of the work, all published under the auspices of the Clydesdale Horse Society of Great Britain and Ireland. The ostensible objects of the association are, among others, first, "To maintain unimpaired the purity of the breed of horses known as Clydesdale horses, and to promote the breeding of these horses ;" and, second, "To collect, verify, preserve, and publish the pedigrees of the eaid horses, and other useful information relating to them."

Apparently all competent authorities agree in regarding as unreliable the tradition of the importation of six Flemish stud horses by one of the Dukes of Hamilton, and the consequent improvement of the native breed of Scotch horses. The Earl of Dunmore gives the date of the first introduction of a Flemish stallion famed for improving the native-bred stock, if not originating the Clydesdale breed of the present day, as between 1715 and 1720. Thiß horse, it is said, was the foundation of the " Lochlyon " strain. The late Mr Lawrence Drew's theory contravenes the statement as to the date of the importation, and gives the circumstance as occurring between 1742 and 1758, one of the Dukes of Hamilton having then introduced a brown Flemish stallion, which travelled several districts in Lanarkshire. The question is hardly of much moment, for it was not till many years afterwards that any pronounced excellence became apparent, but the farmers of the upper ward of Lanarkshire were admittedly the first to devote special attention to the breeding of superior horses for farm purposes. It appears they had peculiar opportunities for attaining their objects.forintheintroduction to the first volume it is stated — "The old drove road from Scotland to England crosses the Clyde at Hyndford Bridge, and leads 'across the hills by Carmichaeland Crawfordjohn— the very centre, of the then horse-breeding district ; and the intercourse which the farmers would thus have with their neighbours from the South and the amount of traffic done by packhorses would doubtless allow of many opportunities for selecting animals to improve the breed." Further on the editor makes the statement — and, to say the least of it, a startling one— "The Lochlyon Btoek having been long noted in the upper ward' and largely drawn upon by breeders, there is po doubt that to them, or, more correctly, to the black horse of 1715, the Clydesdale horse owes jits present distinctive character."* Some doubtpwill, however, be entertained as to the progress made when the next improver cited in the "Stud Book" is de ceiled. This horse, Blaze, black in colour, and with a white stripe down the face, was bought in Ayrshire some time about the year 1780, and taken to the upper ward of Lanarkshire. "Nothing was known of his pedigree" (we quote from the book), "but from his stylish shape and fine action — qualities he is said to have imparted to his stock — it was generally supposed that he had a good share of the blood of the coachhorse in his veins." The great improvement which Blaze is said to have effected among the horse stock of the upper ward is hardly consistent with the theory that at the time any ."distinctive character" had been established, although it may be evidence of the fact that breeders were paying more than ordinary attention to the means of improving the breed of draught jioraes, 1 ajad consequently when opportunity oxjcuried of pro.cu'rinsf superior stud animals to work upon tbe'r'a was a superior foundation to begin with. Be this as it may, Blaze is assumed to be the progenitor of the Brownhill n, Clydesdales. Obviously the endeavour to establish clearly denned lines of breeding with horses having distinct and well-marked characteristics before the commencement of the present century, could only be attempted by constructive reasoning and in the absence of certified facts. Breeders must have these, not speculative theories, and we therefore much prefer, as a starting point in the lineage of Clydesdales, the puroflttsa of the Shottshill filly in 1808, and with which the Lampits stud was founded, A connection is sought; to ba phown between this filly— afterwards known as* the Lampits " Old Mare " — and the Locblybn stock, becauoe Clarkson (at whose sale she Was bought) happened to be a nephew of the then tenant of Lochlyon. This mare became famous as the d§,ni of Glancer, alias Thomson's Black Horse, from which sprang a long line of descendants famous ' in fens annals of Scottish draught horses. ,In nearly*^! the' most noted Clydesdales of recent times' the pedigrees trace back to Glancer, although 'in the family pvpp jtfven in the volume under review the' names of jimny animals will bb seen which, while tracing'back to this horse on one side or other, had a strong Wus}on of English blood. As for example — Darling, tb.e dam of Prince of Wales (1), previously noticed," '^Jthough out of an English mare, had the .Giajacer'&tysJn through her sire, Samßon or Logan's Tjjvin. '#o 'tihj .in regard to Darnley, who traces back to .G-lau£.;<j;v but whose great granddamwas an English mare. §lan^p Ist, the eon of Thomson's Black, was only as the sire of Glancer 2nd, whp in turn ]becaffi£ fhe sjre of the celebrated jgroo>mfies(Ohampiopr §? $is horse the editor """"SWe" -' — To jßJoQinse|ld £^»ampion every . -*<«$ bffleqer $«3S *° tra ? e PRP %» ce P fc oi Clyae^v. -<*4 "ft? S# h & m tf maT yev c £W*» his stock ;a t ■•*iW(ff'2t d WJ&*# ri oP nn f i;t f4> the move careful «*.. ""***** -™o&s> 66 WBW B breeders by this time nii>_ • W?sß M? 6 to use a superior strain of bioo^. *** *8 noting of pedigrees commenced a new v. the history of the Clydesdale breed." Simultaneously with greater attention to selection and mating of breeding animals, the Highland Society, in 1823, gave a fresh impetus to the business by offering premiums at Perth for two olasses of horses ; one, " A prize of ten guineas for the best Clydesdale or other mare well qualified for working the strong lands," and another prize of equal amount for a " Cleveland or mare of any other breed combining strength with activity, and capable of working light lands, or suitable as harness horses." It was, however, in 1827, when the open horse show at Glasgow was inaugurated, that breeders generally were quickened to the work. On this occasion the name of Mr Jas. Frame, of Broomfield, first became conspicuous, he having won second prize with the dam of Glancer 2nd, and first prize for a three-year-old filly. A Mr Cairns won first prize with a mare got by Brown Glancer ; but on the whole the show was " not regarded as a satisfactory one, the second prize being withheld for colts owing to want of merit." The Mr Frame aboye-mentioned became ,tha Reading stallion owner of his day, and as greys, whioh were then common, were discouraged by the Highland Society, and blacks, browns, and bays ' became fashionable, it was Mr Frame's practice to castrate *U grey colts. It is ourious in this connection to note that the dam of Broomfield Champion was " a grey mare, pedigree

! unknown." Contemporaries of Mr Frame were Mr Fulton, of Sproulston, Mr Samuel Clark, and Mr John Barr, of Barrangry. Although principally pngaged in dealing Mr Fultou owned many noted stallions, particularly Clyde alias Glancer, a son of Broomficld Champion ; Sproulston Old Farmer, the progenitor of the Victor strain ; Nonsuch, a son of Thompson's Glancer; and Clydesdale Jock, a son of Glancer 2nd. Clydesdale Jocks grandsons, Hilton Charlie and John Anderson my Jo, were sires of good repute, but according- to the editor of the "Stud Book " it is the progeny of Fulton's Clyde which have in a great measure "made the Clydesdale breed.' T Of his sons, Mr Samuel Clark's Clyde — dam an unpedigreed mare — was moat distinguished, and won the Highland and Agricultural Society's first prize in 1844 at Glasgow, Clyde's immediate progeny were noted sires, and very successful in the show rings of the timo, especially Lothian Tarn, Clydesdale Tarn, and Prine, the latter having been second to Lothian Tarn at Glasgow in 1850. Garibaldi, a son of Lochian Tarn, was first in the three-year-old class at the Highland Society's Show at Perth in 1861. Reverting to Mr Fulton's Clyde alias Glancer, one of his progeny, Prince Royal, was a famous breeding horee, and won many prizes at the Highland Society's and local shows. "It was one of his marked peculiarities that he never got a black foal, but , he had them of all other colours, including a number of greyish chestnuts— i c. t chestnuts with a few grey hairs." It is stated of this horse: "In fact, there are few of our best horses of the present day that have not a strain of his blood in their veins." Princeßo.\al and his grandson, General Williams, vote alike more successful as Bires of fillies thaJb of colts, and some of the best mares now in Scotland are descended from them.