|
The
district system of hiring stallions was an early feature of
Scottish agriculture and did much to standardize and fix the
type of the breed; the records of these hiring societies go
back in some cases to 1837.
The
breed thus developed and soon acquired more than a local reputation.
In time, the breed spread throughout the whole of Scotland
and northern England.
In
1877, Clydesdale
Horse Society , in Scotland, was formed, with a studbook
published the following year, over a 1,000 Clydesdale stallions
were registered in the first volume.
 The
Clydesdale
Horse
Society has been an active force in promoting the
breed not only in Great Britain, but also throughout the world.
The Clydesdale alone, of the British breeds of heavy draft,
has enjoyed a steady export trade to all parts of the world.
The most active trade has been to commonwealth countries and
the United States.
During
the 19th century Clydesdale horses were exported to America,
Australia and New Zealand:
On
December 4, 1879 the Clydesdale
Breeders of the U.S.A was incorporated; it is the
member organization for the Clydesdale horse breeders in the
United States. The first Association volume of the stud book
was ready for distribution at the fourth Annual Meeting in
1882.
Clydesdale
Horse Association of Canada, Organized 1886. Incorporated
under Ontario Agricultural and Arts Act, 1886. Incorporated,
Live Stock Pedigree Act, January 1, 1901.
Commonwealth Clydesdale Horse Society (Australia) Established
in 1921 to promote and preserve the breed in Australia
The
New Zealand Clydesdale Society was formed at a meeting
of interested breeders and others interested in Clydesdale
Horses in  Dunedin,
1st June 1911. The first Stud Book was published in 1914 and
contained 484 Stallions 858 Mares 710 Produce.
A
comprehensive history of the Clydesdales in New Zealand is
contained in the first Volume. The earliest Clydesdales were
imported to New Zealand from Scotland in the 1850's and 1860's.
Prior to the first Clydesdale Society Stud Book there is a
series of the New Zealand Draught Horse Stud Books, Vol 1
being published in 1878 which contains numerous imported registered
Clydesdales.
The
minute books from the first meeting to the present time are
held by the secretary. The Wright Stephenson Challenge
Trophy, which was first presented in 1912 is still competed
for today, it is a magnificent piece of silverware. The hallmarks
and design were made in the United Kingdom, as were their
Silver Medals of the same design. The original die to cast
the silver medals was sent from Scotland and is still in use.
Today
the Society has 160 members and about one thousand Clydesdales
throughout the North and South Islands. In the last three
years there have been several imports of mares and stallions
from Australia and one Stallion from North America.
Being
a small country they find it important to keep contact with
other Clydesdale Horse Societies and their members often travel
overseas to various shows, events and to visit other clydesdale
breeders, this helps them to keep abreast of what is happening
in the clydesdale world.
The
Society have given permission at their recent AGM to set up
their own web site, which the secretary is planning to get
underway during December 2003
In
the mean time,they can be contacted by email
or by writing to "The Secretary" V L Simmons,
Piako Road R D 1, HAMILTON, NZ.
|
