George Moore Agriculture Prize
Extracted from a Report in The Whitehave News September 30th 1869.
The horses were the great attraction, and a finer display has seldom been
seen in this county. In every class the competition was keen, and the
judges' discriminating powers were tested to the utmost in awarding the
prizes. However, they succeeded in giving universal satisfaction. The cart
horses were a very good lot throughout. Coming to saddle horses, we found
one of the finest collections we have seen this year. Mr. Baxter,
Broomfield, took first honours in the class for brood mares for saddle with
his bay mare which won Mr. Casson's prize at Carlisle last week. The
one-year old colts were a handsome lot, and Sir Wilfrid Lawson's brown colt,
which we mentioned last week when it won at Wigton, as a splendid animal
full of merit, was again in the fore. It is by "The Judge" out of a
"British Yeoman" mare, out of "Madame", the old prize mare of the late Sir
Wilfrid Lawson. It combines quality with splendid action, and is, taken all
in all, the best colt we have seen this year. Indeed, we are borne out in
this conclusion by the judges awarding to it Mr. Fisher's cup for the best
animal on the ground. The other classes of saddle horses were capital. In
the competition for harness brood mares, Mr. Thomas Morton, Longburgh, was
first with his big, fine mare, which won at Carlisle and Brampton, but was
beat at Penrith. Passing on to the sweepstakes, we found that most interest
was centred here. Six good looking animals appeared in the ring mounted to
compete for the prize for the best horse or mare four years old or upwards
for the field or saddle. The first prize was given to Dr. Mitchell's gray
mare, the true type of a hunter, Mrs. Thirlwall's bay, the winner of Mr.
George Moore's prize at Wigton, being only placed second; and one need not
be surprised at this, for Dr. Mitchell's grey stripped a more evenly made
animal, and was undoubtedly the thorough type of a hunter, whereas Mrs.
Thirlwall's big horse is scarcely sound, showing unmistakable signs of curby
flocks. Mr. Watson, Bolton Park, showed a very nice lady's mare in this
class; and Mr. Saul, Westnewtown, was forward with his dark chestnut, a good
looking animal, but its appearance is rather spoiled by a somewhat mealy
coloured mane and tail. The white blaze down its face, and the two white
hind legs, however, improve its looks, but it has rather short quarters, and
does not strip as well as one would expect.