Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 January 1886 — Stuart Mac. [ARTICLE]

Stuart Mac.

A horse may take a premium in any class at a Fair, and yet be a very inferior animal; or he may win a race and still lack a good deal of being a race-horse —his success may result from inferior competitors, or incompetent judges. But if he repeats the experiment, of racing, his owner will most likely learn to his cost that he had overrated his horse, and if he should continue to exhibit at fairs, the same fate will most certainly overtake him, for while it cannot be denied that incompetent men are frequently selected as judges of stock, we must concede that exceptions are in the majority, and whenever the inferior animal strikes a committee of experience and judgment, his experience as a prize winner is effectually checked. True, many horses of superior merit have been frequently beaten in the fair ring by animals in no particular their equal—sometimes through the stupidity and at other times through partiality of the judges, but such instances are exceptions rather than a rule.

But when we strike a light-har-ness horse that has been shown at county, district and State Fairs every season from a three-year-old to a seven-year-old, without failing in a single instance to win first premium, we must unhesitatingly pronounce him very nearly perfection. And such is the true history of Stewart Me., a chestnut stallion bred and owned by J. H. McCollum, Monticello, Ini At two years old he was broke to harness by James Hazleton, who has handled him ever since. At three yrs. old he was shown in light harness at the Knightstown, N blesville, Anderson, Kokomo, Logansport and State Fair, and captured first premium in every instance. W v en four years old he was shown at the same fairs, with Peru added, again winning at every point. At five he show d at all the above, and was again successful. This year, in his six-year-old form, he again took in all the above, and added Rushville and Newcastle, winning first again,

and at th? Indiana State Fair taking first, in light harness, and sweepstakes, which is for best stab lion any age or class. But his claims to superiority are not based alone upon his victories in the show ring. Last fall at Peru, Ind., he won the 2:40 trot, in 2:37, though it appears no official time was given, and in his first rac } this season, which was at Middletown, Ind., he won first money, making one heat in 2:28, and the other two each in 2:29. Next won first at Noblesville, was third at Anderson, first at Xenia and first at Newcastle. Steward Me is near perfection in form and style, and his gait is the admiration of all who ever saw him move; and though Blue Bulls generally carry a good deal of weight he carries a 12-ounce shoe and carries no toe-weight. That he wonld make a first-class racehorse is beyond a reasonable doubt, but Mr. McCollum is averse to campaigning horses, and Me will at once be retired to the stu»!, where he can hardly fail to prove a grand success. As stated above, Steward Me was bred and raised by his present owner, J. H. McCollum, of MonticelF, Ind. Foaled 1879; sired by Wils n’s Blue Bull; dam Fanny by Nightshade (he by Falcon, son of Lexingtonf; 2d dam Dolly by Red Oak, sop of Cadmus. The extraordinary success of this horse will be accounted for in a thorough examination of his pedigree.— Western Sportsman and Live Stock News.