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GENESEE VALLEY PROGRESS Its Program of Bloodstock Breeding Mow a Thriving and Important Industry. AVON. N. Y., October 3. The growth of horse breeding in the Genesee Valley is indicated at the annual Livingston County Fair held in September at this place. A few years ago, when the Genesee Valley Breeders Association was in its infancy, the show occupied a portion of a day, and an average or u half dozen entries to a class was considered good. Each year has brought an improvement, and this year, for the first time, the Fair has extended over two days, and its thirty-eight classes, for which ,000 in prize money was offered, were reviewed by experts from New York, Washington, Buffalo, Rochester, Detroit and other cities who were eager to see what had been accomplished by the intelligent co-operation of the Jockey Club, the Genesee Valley Breeders Association and the Federal Remount Service. The original plan to stimulate horse breeding in this state was formulated by the Jockey Club and put into effect by its breeding bureau in 1900. It distributed thoroughbred stallions to farmers. Its scope included the entire state at first, but after a time most of its activities were confined to the Genesee Valley, primarily because of Unnatural advantages enjoyed by this fertile region, and secondly because it was in the heart of this territory that Mrs. Herbert Wadsworth made her home. No man or woman ever brought a greater degree of enthusiasm to any project than Mrs. Wadsworth has given to the development of the hunter type of horse in the Genesee Valley. She has seen the. work grow to a position where it is the lender of its kind in the United States. Much of the success of the movement has come through the Genesee Valley Breeders Association. of which she is the president. The farmers here are among the most prosperous in the United States. They have found that it pays to breed good horses, as well as pure-bred cattle, sheep and hogs. The Genesee Valley Association plan, which gives the custodian the use of a mare free of charge and tho ownership of the foal, is extremely liberal. The results achieved in this region attracted the attention of the Federal authorities when they were seeking a plan to increase the. production of cavalry remounts. They noted the success which followed the employment of the thoroughbred as a tup cross on all sorts of mares. The adoption of the thoroughbred as a model sire for general purporse horse improvement was the outcome, and practically all of the two hundred stallions distributed by the government within the last year and a half are clean bred. REMOUNT SERVICE CHIEF PRESENT. Colonel Armstrong, head of the RcnioUnt Service, and his chief assistant. Major Scott, were among those who attended this years show. Others who expressed their appreciation and delight were ". 15. Woodward, a member of the Jockey Club and a breeder of thoroughbreds at his historic Bellair Stud in Maryland; A. B. Hancock., perhaps the largest individual breeder of Ihoroughbrcds in the United States, with farms in Kentucky and Virginia; Admiral Cary T. Grayson of Washington, and Miss Elizabeth Daingcrfield, tho well known expert on horse breeding from Kentucky, who has charge of Man o War. The three last named and Major Scott were the judges. Mr. Woodward raises cattle and Clydesdale horses as well as thoroughbreds on his 2,500-acre farm and he found much in common to discuss with the sturdy fanners and their families, whose automobiles framed the ring in which the classes, were shown. He found a strong sentiment for the production of good horses and was a leader in the applause which greeted the sound, patriotic talk which Senator Wadsworth, who is a prominent member of the committee on military affairs, gave during Thursday afternoon. Senator Wadsworth, after calling attention to the fact that the Genesee Valley owed its great prosperity to the diversified farming, which made the tiller of the soil independent of the failure of any single crop, remarked: "I am glad to see so many of you here, and it is especially pleasing to note the interest you are taking in the county fair, which is a stimulus to live stock breeding. The way you have taken up horse breeding is particularly gratifying and is an example for other communities, to follow. Every man and woman loves a good horse, and the people of this valley can produce the best kind as a byproduct of their farms. Youve got the sod. the water, the climate-and the. horses to breed from. HORSE A NATIONAL NECESSITY. "It is frequently said that the horse will be supplanted by the tractor and the auto and that the World War proved it. If you will examine the equipment of the late war you will find that we had more horses and mules in service than during the Civil War, when the tractor was unknown. It isnt pleasant to discuss the possibility of another war, but y!u must remember that our defense will always depend uion the resources of the country and of these elements none surpass the horse and mule. While the day may never come, it is well to be prepared, and it is a singular fact that in every conflict in which our country has been involved we have entered it nnprepared. It is imprudent, therefore, to neglect means of self-defense. "It is a good omen to find officers of the United States at our county fair. You see them everywhere. They are not here to ascertain what is going on in this county, but what is being done in the way of horse breeding. In perfecting the type of horse which is being developed here in the valley, you are not only helping yourselves economically, but doing a big and patriotic service for your country." Some of the breeding classes had more than seventy entries, and it was a treat to see all the fine mares and foals in the ring together. The display of thoroughbred stallions and mares with foals by their sides was large. Al Blocli. by Voorhees, won the championship among the sires, with Adams Express, by Adam, second, and Knlitan, by Rey Hindoo, third. Stariua. by Star Shoot, was awarded the blue among the mares. Wyf, by Miller, was second, and Floreo, by Contestor, third. Sylvan Stream, by Charles Edward Sister Rose, by Lord Esterling, was the best yearling thoroughbred. The Avon Cup for brood marcs went to Alada, a daughter of Hippodrome, with foal at foot by Adams Express. Investigator, by Estimator Annie Sellers, by Sir Dixon, was adjudged the best yearling bred on farms and sired by a Jockey Club stallion. The Sturgis Cup, donated by F. K. Sturgis, chairmar. of the Breeding Bureau, for the best two-year-old by a Jockey Club sire bred on a farm was won by Peggy, a daughter of Wonder Boy. The thoroughbred two-year-old Al Fresco, by Al Blocli, tooK the Avon Cup for two-year-olds bred on farms. The best foal among those bred on farms was a clean-bred by Square Deal II. Wyf. by Miller. The stallions were turned out in splendid condition with English lead bridles. Mr. Hancock, jn commenting on their appearance, said ho was doubtful whether Kentucky could show an equal numler of horses in such form. There will be a further distribution of mares by the Genesee Valley Breeders Association in the near future.
