THE IDEAL CLYDESDALE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3314, 19 September 1917, Page 12

THE IDEAL CLYDESDALE.

A survey of the leading horses at the Glasgow Stallion Show during the past 40 years will hardly bear out the contention that the breed has during that period degenerated. It will, however, suggest that the prevailing opinion among breeders as to what constitutes an ideal stallion has undergone considerable change It must be borne in mind that during the first decade of the period under review, generally speaking, the best horse of his year was the winner of the Glasgow district premium. To win the Glasgow prize hi that far-off day was equivalent in most cases to winning the Cawdor Cup or the Brydon Shield now. Thus in 1875 the best horse both at Glasgow in spring and at the H. and A.S. Show on the Green was Mr Riddell's Time o' Day (875), which was sold for exportation to New Zealand. Again, in 1876 and 1877, the best aged horse at both events was the samo owner's celebrated Darnley (222), and champion honours went to him not only at the H. and A.S., Dumfries, in 1878, but also six vears later at the Centenary Show at Edinburgh, when he was 12 years old. In 1878 Mr Peter Crawford's Ivanhoe (396) was both the - Glasgow Premium horse and first in the aged class at the H. and A.S., Dumfries, although Darnley, shown as extra stock, took the champion honours. But the leading three-year-old at the Stallion Show that year was a great, coarse animal, named Strathclyde (1538), and his chief opponent in 1879, a son of Time o' Day named Bonnie Breastknot (108) beat Strathclyde. The first three-year-old that day was Mr Johnston's Roderick Dhu a colt bred at Merry ton, out of one of Mr Drew's English mares named Boosie, but his sire was never disclosed, if it was ever known. Neither Roderick Dhu nor Bonnie Breastknot travelled the district. The older horse died early in the season, and Roderick Dhu was sold at or immediately after the show to John Trestrail, and exported to Melbourne, Australia. These horses form a good starting point from which to institute a comparison with the popular type of present-day Clydesdale. Darnley stands apart from the rest. His influence abides, but it may safely be said of all the others named, in so far as influence on the breed is concerned, they are as though they had never been. It is not possible to imagine horses like Ivanhoe, Strathclyde, Druid, Bonnie Breastknot, or Roderiok Dhu leading the Glasgow Spring Show to-day. Ivanhoe was a typical, oldfashioned, thick Clydesdale, standing on short lege, but distinctly "'piggish" in his build and movement. The others were short-pasterned, round-boned, and '' 'stubbly - haired" horses, which no one now would care to fancy. Perhaps all of them, had they been alive to-day, would have been castrated. And yet they possessed depth of rib and development of quarters such as many popular horses of the present day rather lack. One of the be*t horses ever bred by Mr Drew was Rosebery, which competed unsuccessfully with Roderick Dhu. He was got by Prince of Wales (673) out of Ruby, no doubt a Shire mare. The late William Riddell showed him. and, we believe, always considered him the best of all the son's of Prince of Wales he ever showed. Rosebery was of a rather lightcolour —not chestnut, but rather inclined to be doe-coloured. He was somewhat deficient in development of thighs; but we question whether any bench of judges today would have dreamt of comparing him and Roderick Dhu. They would, we suppose, have preferred Rosebery without hesitation. He was hired for West Lothian that day in 1879, but was not prolific as a sire. In 1831 he was hired for Kintyre, where ho loft possibly the largest and best crop of foals ever seen in the peninsula after one sire up to that date, if not at anv time.

In 1880 the winner of the Glasgow aged premium was Mr M'Nab's useful horse Champion of the North (1092), a Dum-bartonshire-bred son of Topsman (886). It was, however, the winning throe-year-old that day that made history. This was Mr Riddell's "big-hocked" colt Top Gallant (1850), a son of Darnley. and winner of first at the H. and A.S.. Kelso, in July. Of the contribution of this' notable horse to the development of the modern Clydesdale there arc no two opinions among the students of the breed. He was nor a prolific sire, but possibly no horse over left a higher percentage of really first-class animals among his produce. .Full of masculine character himself, he imparted this characteristic to his progeny, and oven some of his daughters might have been criticised ns rather masculine in character. He had a splendid forefoot and good action. Perhaps he might have been wider in the chest; but, apart from the somewhat fleshy formation of his hocks, judges were not disposed to cavil or criticise him adversely. The late Sir M:chael R. Shaw Stewart, Bart., bought him from Mr Riddell for £I6OO, and in his possession he remained until he died.

Waiving meanwhile all reference to other matters, let us trace ihe Top Gallant influence. The lata William Taylor had his attention called to Sir Evarard by the lato Matthew M'Dougnl, T.S.. Old Kilpatriclc,

and wont and bought the colt for £65. He was awarded the Glasgow premium at the Stallion Show in 1888, 1889, 1890, ami 1891. Mr Taylor paid the forfeit in 1828, and took the Auchcncaini premium in the Stewartry in that year instead. In 1889 the Glasgow Agricultural Society offered very high terms for one horso only, and to feu- .Everard the award' went. In Auchencairn Sir Everard sired Sir Morell Mackenzie (9416), the- Glasgow aged premium horse of 1895, and the three-year-old of that year was Royal Exchange (10000). another of his sons, but bred in Kint.yre. In Glasgow district, in 1889, Sir Everard sired Barons Pride (9122), which won the H. and 7?^m Cha ™Pionship in 1894, and the Summit (8442), which won the Glasgow three-year-old premium in 1895. What these "facta mean in Clydesdale history scarcely needs /?n C 01 "l lha fsed. In 1899 Casabianca (10526), the threo-year-old son of Baron'g Pride, was first at the Glasgow Stallion tehow and champion at the Summer Show. In 1904 another son, Revelanta (11876). won the Oawdor Oup; in 1907 another. Baron Kitchener (10499). repeated the performance; in 1908 Baron of Buchlvvie (11263) was first aged horse at H. "and A.S., Aberdeen, and his son. Perfect Motion (13123), was second, after having won the Brydon Shield at Glasgow in spring; the Cawdor Gup that year went to Memento (13100), a grandson of Sir Everard on on? side, and a great-grandson on the other. In 1609 the Cawdor Cup went to Bonnie Buchlyvio (14032). and the Brydon Shield was his in 1916. In 1910 Dunure Footprint (15213) had the Cawdor Cup. and in 1911 the Brydon Shield; in 1912 ' Scotland'Yet (14839) had the Cawdor Cup, and Ascot Chief (15720) the Brvdon Shield; in 1913 -The Dunure (16839) had both'; in 1914 Dunure Refiner (17872) had the Cawdor Cup; and in 1916 and 1917 both trophies went to horses in the eame line of descent.

It will be observed that in this review, except in the case of Scotland Yet, wo have followed only the male line of descent. Had the female line been followed, few of the leading horses of the past two decades would have been omitted from the lineal descendants of Darnley through Top Gallant and Sir Everard. Let older men who can recall them compare the best of these horses of to-day with Ivanhoe, Strathclyde, Druid, Roderick Dhu, and Bonnie Breastknot. The type is wholly distinct. The later horses have a.refinement of bone and wearing character altogether lacking in the earlier. They are taller horses, closer in their movement, and much more stylish. The question is: Are breeders, along with this undoubted improvement, holding the substance, virility, weight, and stamina of Top Gallant and Sir Everard? In these horses there was cart-horse character in abundance, and their descendants have thai also. —The Scottish Farmer.