CLYDESDALE HORSES

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3807, 11 September 1936, Page 11

CLYDESDALE HORSES

HOW THEY WERE DEVELOPED. FAMOUS STUDMASTER’S REMINISCENCES. The world-famous Clydesdale breeder and exhibitor, Mr William Dunlop, who died at his English home at Rugby, on March 30, was the younger son of William Dunlop, senr., of Fences Farm, West Kilbride, Ayrshire, and learned farming there on the estate of Lieut. General Sir Aylmer Hunter-Weston, K.C.8., D. 5.0., and M.P., on whose estate Mr Dunlop’s father and his uncle were successful farmers and horse breeders —on the farms of “Fences” and “Campbelton.” The love of horses was instilled in him as a heritage from the Dunlops, as they were generation after generation, regarded as good farmers and keen horsemen, that is, in respect of breeding and selling good Clydesdales. It is worthy of note that when William Dunlop, of Dunure Mains, paid £lOOO for a Clydesdale named “Montrave Mac,” his father remarked that it was a tremendous price—but had he been alive when his son bought Baron of Buchlyvie for the record price of £9500, that Arould have been truly tremendous. The purchase for £9500 was made in 1911, and was a record price; it is still a record for a Clydesdale or for any other breed of draught horse. Another point of interest is that when “Dunure Footprint,” bred and owned by William Dunlop, stood at the stud he had 300 nominations at £6O and £6O (£120) —which is also a record for a Clydesdale.

We are indebted to Mr J. C. Brown, of Puniu Road, Te Awamutu, who, as an Ayrshire man, knew Mr Dunlop and his family intimately, for these facts, and also for copies of “The Scottish Farmer,” the weekly periodical devoted to farm topics and in which was published a very interesting account of the Clydesdale draught horse, styled “Some Clydesdale Breeding Reminiscences,” written by Mr Wm. Dunlop. As they should be of special interest to all farmers in this district, in view of the reviving demand for good heavy horses, and the presence of Buchlyvie blood here, we purpose republishing the reminiscences. The first instalment reads:

THE DRAUGHT HORSE. SOME CLYDESDALE BREEDING REMINISCENCES. (By William Dunlop.) I wish to lift up my voice in the cause of the draught horse; and having noticed some grand peculiarities in the make-up of the horse, which appear to have mainly contributed to place him among the highest order of all animals, I shall touch on some points which may perhaps have escaped your eye. Then, I suppose, as with Mr Neville Chamberlain’s Budget, you will all be burning to dissect my story of quips and whims regarding the Clydesdale. I shall endeavour to give you some notes of my first travels and experiences, over hill and dale, in the Clydesdale world. The principal part of what I am go- - ing to say will consist of reminiscences regarding the draught horse, and these I shall connect with a few notes on farming. Man’s first calling was to till the land, or farming, in the Garden of Eden, and eventuv ally there was placed at his disposal the services of the worthy horse; the noblest animal in creation—the horse, that genuine friend of man, yours and mine, whose loss would leave us with an aching void. The draught horse should be a pow-erful-looking animal, standing or moving clean on four good feet, with strong, broad supports built right in at either end, to carry a compact, well-formed large body. These are the essentials of a good draught horse that cannot be done without. I believe most of us as farmers have had, sometime or another, an inclination, or real earnestness of spirit, to attain some goal that we always have in view. We human beings possess an instinct for creative effort, using the material that Nature so richly provided, in order to attain the object of our ambitions. I may say that my own keenest and highest ambition from my boyhood was to possess, one day, some of the kings and queens of the magnificent breed of that weight-moving animal, the draught horse; and I shall try to tell you, so far as my memory goes, my first beginnings in the Clydesdale world, and the history of the breeding of Dunure Footprint (15203). I shall also make some various remarks about the draught horse in general. I shall give nothing but JQ facts; no hearsays, but only what I \ have personally seen and definitely know. At the age of about 30, when I began to make a living for myself at farming, there came my debut in the horse world, and I shall give you j. few jottings about my earliest investments in Clydesdales —■ both males and females with which I won some showyard laurels, and

which became the sires and dams of prize-winners at the principal shows. FIRST STALLIONS BOUGHT. The first two males I purchased were Montrave Mac (9958) and Fickle Fashion (10546). The last named one I purchased as a yearling in 1898 from the late Mr Andrew Keay, Salchrie, Maybole. He was first exhibited at the Highland Society’s show a Kelso in the same year; and although he got no award, I had a few inquiries for him from would-be purchasers, but I did not put him on offer. He was next exhibited at the Glasgow Stallion Show as a two-year-old and was first then first at Kilmarnock and Ayr show’s in the same year, and thereafter sold to the late Mr William Renwick, Meadowfield, Corstorphine. He died two years later when on his season in the Lockerbie district, in the possession of Messrs A. and W. Montgomery, Kirkcudbright.

Montrave Mac was purchased as a tw’o-year-old from the late Sir John Gilmour, of Montrave. He was first shown at Ayr as a two-year-old and was third in his class. He was fourth at Glasgow Summer Show, as a threc-year-old, and first at Ayr in the same year; while he was second at the H. & A. S. Show at Kelso in 1898 as an aged stallion. In the spring following he was second at Glasgow Stallion Show, beating Hiawatha, and when they came out again a year later Hiawatha was first and Mac was not shown again; but he became a great success at stud, and the forerunner of all the outstanding breeding sires of the present day upholding my theory that like begets like all the world over. We cannot gather figs from thistles, but we can, without doubt, stamp an improved breed of any kind of animal by judicious mating and recrossing in order to bring out some outstanding point aimed at. To-day we see a new breed of sheep the Corriedale in New Zealfind and Australia, a combination of the Merino, Border Leicester, and Romney Marsh—brought to perfection by crossing and recrossing by the skilful hands and brains of humanity to suit the land and climate of our daughter Dominions to produce an early abundance of wool and mutton for the Mother Country. But I must return to my first love—the Clydesdale; my first love for the reason that my whole heart, soul, strength, and mind was in it, turning neither to the right nor to the left, and no one could induce or persuade me to change my opinion. My third stallion was Le Beau, also bred by the late Sir John Gilmour, of Montrave, whose dam was La Belle (8325), and his sire Prince of Fashion, Vol XII., page 361, by Prince of Avondale. He travelled for two seasons and was then castrated tor bad behaviour towards his groom. He was a particularly tight, cleanmoving, well-balanced horse. ROYAL CARRICK AND DUNURE CASTLE. My fourth stallion was Royal Carrick (10270), bred by the late Alexander Cross, Knockdon, and purchased from Mr James Kilpatrick, Craigie Mains. He was a large, massive, handsome horse that carried himself like a guardsman, but he died the first year I owned him on going to his season in Morayshire. He was from that successful race of mares that produced Leoline, Poteath Fanny, Lass o’ Gowrie, Montrave Lady, Gallant Poteath, and various other good things. The last three were Highland Society winners. Leoline, purchased by Lawrence Drew when two years old from the late Mr James Clews, shortly thereafter won first at Ayr, and Poteath Fanny, her own sister was third the same day as a yearling. Both were by Paisley Jock. This all-round splendid type of cart horse stopped working after the second round of his season the second year. He was sold to the late Mr David Riddell, won second at the Highland Society’s show the same year as an aged stallion, and was thereafter exported to Australia. Poteath Fanny became the dam of Montrave Lady and Gallant Poteath, both sired by Top Gallant. I purchased a great heavy Darnley mare out of Poteath Fanny, and got her in foal to Montrave Mac, and got a superior, big colt, but unfortunately he took joint-ill and was castrated. I had great hopes in Royal Carrick at stud, but the fates ordered otherwise.

Next to follow in my experience with stallion owning was Dunure Castle, purchased as a foal from Mr George Graham, Faraway, Kippen. His sire was Baron’s Pride, and his dam a very beautiful Lord Lothian mare. He was first exhibited at Ayr when a three-year-old, and tied for first place with Silver Cup that was first three times at the H. & A. S. shows. There was a little bit of a struggle for top dog, but after a good inspection and a second turnout, Silver Cup was preferred for first place. He was again exhibited in October at the West of Scotland Union Show in a class of stallions three years old and over, and vras first, the horse placed second being Casabianca, which that year had been first among aged stallions at the Highland Society’s show. Dunure Castle was not shown again. He travelled for two years in Ayrshire, where he had splendid seasons, and was thereafter sold to the late Mr

Peter Crawford, Dargavel, Dumfries, for a special client in America.

EARLIEST PURCHASES OF MARES.

My first investment in the female line of Clydesdales was Mary Miller, a prize-winner at many shows, purchased from the late Mr William Miller, Titwood, Kilmaurs. She was got by Skelmorlie, a superior breeding son of Top Gallant; and she became the dam of two fillies that were second at the Highland Society’s shows. One of these was Clarinda, by Montrave Mac. The other was by Prince Alexander, and when mated with Montrave Mac she produced the Highland Society winner, Lady Maud (14585), owned by the late Sir John Gilmour of Montrave. Mary Miller was also dam of a colt by Prince Alexander that was castrated; also dam of Cinquevalli, by Montrave Mac, sold to Mr James Kilpatrick, Craigie Mains, when three years old, with ths Cumnock District Clydesdale Horse Society’s prize; also dam of a colt named Auld Ayr, by t'ylvander, that was exported to America. Mary Miller when a worker on the farm required no shoes. She could go to Ayr barefooted, a distance of eight miles from Dunure, and bring home a ton of grain, and as the road was mostly all up hill, she had to be hauling nearly all the time. This she was able to do because of her enormous, great, strong hoofs. The late Mr A. B. Matthews, Newton-Stewart, when judging at Maybole when she was a yearling gave her the championship; and at the show dinner he made the remark that anyone who wished to breed Clydesdales was to aim at the champion yearling filly, with her great hoofs and hoof heads. I wonder what some of the champion Clydesdale females would be like to-day hauling, or not hauling, but merely Walking on the highway without shoes. MORE PRIZE-WINNERS. Lass o’ Ayr which I purchased as a foal from Mr James Dykes Hillhouse, Troon, was also by Skelmorlie. She was twice second at Ayr—as a two-year-old and as a three-year-old; but she died the following year in foal to Montrave Mac, in the possession of Mr James Hamilton, Drumburle. Nell Skermorlie, also by Skelmorlie, which I purchased from the late Mr Wm. Dunlop, Clune, St Quivox, was exhibited at Ayr as a yearling and got into the tickets, but having damaged her hock she was never shown again. She was one of the best mares I ever possessed. The late Mr James Lockhart, Mains of Aaires, was anxious to purchase her at the same Ayr show. She died a young mare, with strangles, after having two foals to Montrave Mac. Her first foal was a colt, and being too little for a stallion he was castrated. Her second foal was Poor Girl, that produced for the late Mr John M’Nee, Afton House, Crieff, innumerable good things when so often mated with Baron’s Pride.

Annie Laurie was purchased as a foal from the late Mr James Arthur, Carlung, West Kilbride, at his dispersal sale. Her sire, Prince of Carlung, was a good breeding son of Prince of Wales (673), and her dam by Top Gallant. She won second as a yearling at Kilmarnock, being beaten by a filly out of her grand-dam, also sired by Prince of Carlung. She was mated as a two-year-old with Prince of Albion, but died at foaling. Mary Kerr, by Prince Alexander, was purchased as a three-year-old from the late Mr Wm. Bone, Shalloch Park, Girvan. She was unbeaten in her class as a breed mare when five years old, being first at Kilmarnock, Ayr, Glasgow and the Highland Show; and only once defeated for championship honours at all those meetings, namely, at the Highland Show, and by the dam of Montrave Mac, from which she had wrested the laurels earlier in the season at Glasgow. Mated with Montrave Mac she produced two foals— Sylvander and Nancy Young, both of which were second prize-winners at Highland Society shows. Nancy Young had two topping good filly foals by Hiawatha; but in the end I lost all, lock, stock and barrel. Mary Kerr died with a twist in her bowel, carrying her third foal to Fickle Fashion.

From the late Mr James White, Kirkmabreck, Stranraer, I purchased a filly foal by Sir Everard, out of his Darnley mare Alice of Kirkmabreck. When exhibited as a yearling at Glasgow she got third with the late M<- James Johnstone, Lochburnie, placing them, or judging them if that is the correct word. Perhaps some here can remember the two fillies that were placed in front of her. A very important Clydesdale enthusiast tried me several times that day to ask for her, but there was nothing doing. On the morning of Ayr Show following the Glasgow meeting I met the late Mr James Johnstone, who asked me what I would charge him for the yearling filly that was third at Glasgow. My reply yas that she was not for sale. He remarked that he had come there mainly with a view to try and purchase her—not seemingly having known that she put in the horse-box at Glasgow, to which she succumbed. "A LITTLE BIT OF GOOD LUCK.” Now here comes a little bit of good luck from a motto that should al-

ways be in front of us—'“Onward and Forward.” Having put our hand to the plough we must never look back. We must always live for that which is in front of us. Among my purchases of Clydesdales I bought, at weaning time, from the late Mr John Kerr, Red Hall, Wigton, Cumberland, the filly foal that became the granddam of Dunure Footprint. She was foaled one night in the early spring out of doors, and when found she was white with snow. She was never in a house until she was put in the plough at Dunure Mains when she was rising three years. Mr Kerr wintered her for me. along with a twd-year-old gelding I bought for him at the same time. They were delivered to me the day before Kilmarnock Show in April, when the gelding was first in his class, and the yearling filly, named Royal Darling, was second. The late Mr Walter Park, Hatton, who was judging, asked me afterwards where I got the nice yearling filly, and made the remark that she might have won. She was first at Maybole as a yearling in October, and again as a two-year-old at the same show; but she was no more exhibited, being such a good worker that she was constantly in the yoke except when nursing. THE DARNLEY INFLUENCE. This is now bringing home my contention that the Darnley blood holds an enormous high percentage of sway in the breeding of a superior Clydesdale. Thus was Royal Darling, being fully so on both sides of the house. Her dam was by GartsHerrie, the superior breeding son of Darnley that went so far in making Cumberland one of the most famou; districts in the British Isles for Clydesdales. When I used to be in search of something above the averag, going or driving along the roads in Cumberland, I sometimes stopped a horse in a cart coming to m)e, with forelegs perfectly hung on, with big, blue strong feet, and filling the shafts to perfection. When I asked the owner or driver if he knew the name of the sire, the reply would nearly always come—“Gartsherrie.” TOP GALLANT AND LORD LOTHIAN. One more thread in Royal Darling’s lineage must be mentioned as strongly enriching her pedigree. Her sire was Lord Lothian’s best breeding son Royal Champion. In my opinion, two of the great Top Gallant’s sons—Lord Lothian and Sir Everard—vied with each other as to which would be top dog at stud, and I would give the palm to the former. If one came across a filly or young gelding of outstanding merit in Cumberland in Lord Lothian’s day and generation, it was always sure to be by him; and when they went to move they could fairly hop—not trailing along in that leave-me-alone style, like the sluggard who wants yet a little more time, yet a little more sleep. Is not speed the world’s motto to-day? But no one, of course, has any earthly chance of catching Sir Malcolm Campbell. Perhaps you may say I am trying to solve the problem of perpetual motion. No, I am not. We shall not. But we cannot stop progress; and remember there is no speed limit to a carthorse’s good movement. Even the genuis of the poet Burns in the 18th century explained the good qualities of the farmer’s auld mare, Maggie. He mentions that she had both “pith and speed,” that she “set weel down a shapely shank,” and that she “took the road aye like a swallow,” which means progress. Our horses for good work should be descended from progressive parents, not only faultless in form but distinguished in action.