Shorthorn sale (1875)

Post date: Jul 31, 2012 8:49:25 PM

Extract from Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald, 10th July 1875. Exactly the same article was run by the Australian Town and Country Journal of 4 September 1875 further illustrating the global nature of this trade and interest in it.

Shorthorn Cattle.—An important sale short-horn cattle was conducted on Thursday at Wateringbury by Mr. Strafford, of Euston Square, assisted Mr. Houseman, being excerpts from the well-known herd of Messrs. Leney and Sons. Although rain  fell the greater part of the day, there was a very large gathering of breeders. The Duke of Manchester presided at the luncheon, and was the purchaser of the Waterloo cow Wellingtonia Third at 200 guineas. Two heifers of the Wild Eyes tribe, however, both of which were bought by Lord  Penryn realized respectively 400 and 430 guineas; an Oxford cow was sold at 365 guineas to Mr. Fox for exportation to the American herd of Mr. Grom, in Kentucky; a Fawsley fell to Mr. Macintosh at 300 guineas ; and a Charmer to Mr. Sheldon for 305 guineas ; but the highest price among the females was for Kirklevington 20th, by Fifth Lord Wild Eyes, which was sold for 580 guineas to Mr. Lester. The great interest of the day, however, centred in the offer of one of the best bred Duchess bulls in the world—viz., Eighth Duke of Geneva—who was purchased by Mr. Leney, three years ago at 1,650 guineas, and imported from America. Having another equally valuable Duchess bull in Sixth Duke of Oneida, he decided on bringing the former animal to the sale ring on the present occasion, but placed high reserve figure on hishead that very few expected to see him sold. In this, however, they were deceived, and a bona fidebidder was found in Mr. Fox at 2,000 guineas, the upset price, to whom the animal was knocked down, amid cheers from the company surrounding the ring, The singular part of the matter is that this bull will have to cross the Atlantic again, as Mr. Fox made the purchase for Mr. Grom, the Kentucky breeder. Considering that the animal will be seven years old next November, the price is a splendid one, scarcely to be parallelled the sale of another bull, either at  home or abroad. The total amount realized from 38 animals was £7,862 5s. The female averaged £180 10s. 6d.