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Show Week in Denver

by Wyoming Livestock Roundup

Historical reproductions by Dick Perue

Week of Jan. 18-23 Will Be Hot Time In the Old Town

Following the recent announcement the 115th National Western Stock Show (NWSS) in Denver has been postponed ­– citing COVID-19 concerns – by one year to resume in January 2022, we looked up past articles of the popular event and found the following in the Jan. 14, 1915, issue of the Saratoga Sun

The National Horse Show and Midwinter Fair will be held at the Denver Union Stockyards Jan. 18-25, 1915, inclusive under the auspices of the Gentlemen’s Driving and Riding Club, backed by the commercial organizations of Denver.

 In addition to the horse show, which promises to be the most extensive and interesting in the history of the event, there will be held a poultry show of national magnitude, a Baby Health Contest, a most extensive agricultural exhibit, a dog show, a sportsmen’s exhibition, a display of Colorado made goods by the Manufacturers’ Association and all the novelties incident to the idea and plan of a midwinter fair.

Special efforts are being made toward making Monday and Saturday nights especially attractive. The railroads are making the usual low rates for this week, and Denver is preparing to entertain a record-breaking crowd.

During horse show week, the Denver Press Club will give its annual Brand Iron Dinner and Grand Ball. The dinner is planned along the same lines as the famous Washington, D. C. Gridiron Banquet.

The national character of the horse show is evidenced by the character and number of the stables coming from various parts of the United States. Miss Loula Long of Kansas City, Mo., who has not exhibited in Colorado for two years, is coming again with a new stable of 10 harness and four saddle horses. One of the latter she has just purchased for $12,000.

The John R. Thompson stable of Chicago, Ill., winner of many blue ribbons in Denver, is coming again as is the string of O. J. Mooers of Columbia, Mo.

Visitors, however, will have to look to their laurels, shown by the fact A. T. Lewis has purchased what he calls a “mystery” horse. Although he declines to disclose the identity of this new acquisition, he is confident it will make visitors go their best to win in this particular class. 

Dr. Sherman Williams, whose Denver stable is always a feature of the entertainment, has also just purchased a new horse, which recently arrived and is now in training.

The stadium has already been put into commission and is properly heated and arranged for the convenience of the horses, which have already started their preparation.

A unique feature will be a Milk Show, although it will not be possible to have on exhibition the prize winning milk cows. The modern hygienic processes of handling milk and manufacturing products and byproducts will be exhibited. 

There will be demonstrations of the proper methods of sterilization, pasteurization, separating, measuring butter content, butter making and the like.

The idea of the Sportsmen’s Show is most practical. It aims to have on display the articles, which will indicate to the motorist, the hunter, the fisherman, the prospector and all others loving the outdoor life just what kind of an outfit will fit his needs. The general outline is the same as that of the Sportsmen’s Show in Madison Square Garden, N.Y.

As an adjunct to the poultry exhibition there will be held the annual Colorado competition between pet animals. Ribbons, cups and merchandise prizes will be awarded.

While the educational features will be unusually strong, the purely entertainment features are also going to be especially emphasized, and a special committee is working to secure every midway attraction.

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