, 1884-12-10
ENGLISH JOCKEYS.
HOW BRITISH YOUNGSTERS ARE
TRAINED FOR THE TURF.
How Trainers Treat Their Apprentices
Profits Of the Business-suocessfui
Career of Fred Archer-Jockeys
n Much Tempted Glass

London Cor. San Francisco Chronicle.l
There are to-day in England about 200
Jockeys, VIII make incomes varying from
$4,000 TO $30,O0O a year by the practice Of
their profession. This estimate does not in
clude steeplechase or cross-country riders, of
whom there are perhaps another 100 profess
sionals and fully three times as many more
amateurs. As the steeplechase season only
lasts In this country from the end OF Novem-
Der to the beginning of March, tho cross
country riders do not make nearly 30 much
money as their professional brethren
who confine their attention to the more
legitimate branch OF the sport of
racing. The English jockey serves al appren-
ticeship. the terms and conditions OF which
are perhaps more rigid than those in force in
any other trade OF occupation. In selecting
suitable boys for the business the trainer
looks upon the size Of the subject as perhaps
the most important consideration. Stunted
boys OF IL or ID years Of age. long in the log,
but short I'm the body, thin and yet wfry
withal. are the most sought after. Probably
three-fourths OF the jockeys riding to-day
come from "horsey" families. Either their
fathers have been jockeys before them, or
perhaps stud1grooms or stable boys, who
never became sufficiently proficient in the
art Of riding to enter the higher branch Of
their profession.
LUCKY wAIF.
Jockeys are occasionally picked up in all
sorts Of odd places by shrewd trainers, who
always lave their eyes open when travelling
about the country. Sam Kenyon, who in his
day was one of the best light weights that
ever got into a saddle, was picked up by
Cliff. the trainer, in n back street in far
chester. The little waif, who, although b at
the time Is years Of age, was little bigger
han a good sized baby, was playing about
in the gutter when he caught the Hednes-
ford trainers eyes. Cliff Immediately sought
out the boys parents and he was there and
then for a pecuniary consideration allowed
TO carry him off home to Hednesford. The
lad was plucky and soon acquired a good seat
on a horse, and five years later was earning
for his master fully 5000 a year. Subse-
quently, when out of his apprenticeship, his
income went up TO four times that amount In
one season, but a career OF almost continuous
dissipation cut this brilliant horseman off a
few years after he attained his majority.
A TRAINING SCHOOL,
Trainers treat their apprentices very DIFF
ferentlv. The veteran Matthew Dawson.
one Of the oldest and nosyiblv the most ra.
snected OF his class. cares for the lads that
are bound to him almost as much as II they
were his own children. Family PRAYERS are
held morning and evening, and every night
for n couple OF hours or so the lads. OF whom
there are never less than forty or fifty at
tached to the establishment, are instructed
until they acquire a fair common-school edu-
cation. They are fed with the purest and
most wholesome food, decently and comfort
ably clad, and but for the fact that they are
engaged during a portion OF the day in
riding horses at exercise, and that each lad
has the doing" of a particular animal, the
life they lead is very much the same
as that in daily progress at a good
boarding-school. OF course, out of say
twenty boys who are apprenticed to learn
the trade OF a jockey, at least fifteen will, in
the course of a few years, increase In weight
to such an extent as 10 be practically useless
for riding in a race. Of the remainder, per-
haps only two or three will develop into
promising horsemen- They may ride well
enough to be able 70 stick on a horse, but yet
may lack Judgment In the matter OF pace
and be unequal to sqeezing the last ounce out
Of q horse in a close finish As time goes on,
the boy whose weight has fortunately for
himself, increased but slightly, and who has
proved to the satisfaction of his master that
he possesses a head as well as hands, viii DO
at length intrusted with a mount in public,
and then, should he by chance be successful
In his first essay, he will find the road to
fortune an uncommonly easy one to trave
FhOElIh OE II BUSINESS.
The earnings Of some Of the leading Jock
eyy during the past two decades AVE been
almost fabulous. 1 know for a fact that
Fred Archer, who deservedly stands at the
head of his profession, is worth upwards Of
e400, 900, and his income to-day from riding
in public p-rtubly amounts to at least $50
900 a year. / should say, however, that
Archer's career has been to some extent an
exceptional one.
The usual Jockeys fee in q fat race is $25
for a winning and $40 for q losing mount,
but as Archer frequently gets $500 for a
win and occasionally three times or even ten
times that amount, / am sure / have
not overestimated his gains during the
period named. Ho has bean equally
successful during the last year and the season
which Is drawing to Il close, and, although
in 1882 Wood, who is really his only danger
Gus rival in the saddle, nearly approached
his total of wins. as he caught the judges
eye first ON 1872 occasions as against Archer's
80 wins, there can be no doubt that, IL sue
cess is to DO taken as n crucial test Of merit,
Fred Archer Is undoubtedly the premier
Jockey In this country. Wood Is also a
snlendid rider and a grand Judge of paca.
IL Mas rsrhaps uclisvad mora imnoItant
..Ys - a. -. - ~.
nAnoieaP tiurnpnA enan ~ efeA. ii'ei' ou'
IN what are called the classic races-im-
portant events OF the year in which 5-year-
olds only are entitled to compete-Archer
has been the most successful.