The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-01-02
ENGLISH JOCKEYS.
HOW BRITISH YOUNGSTERS ARE
TRAINED FOR THE TURF.
How Trainers Treat Their Apprentices
Profits OF, the Business-saccessful
Career Of Fred Archer-Jockeys
a Much Tempted Class.

Profits OF, the Business-succcssful
Career Of Fred Archer-Jocixeys
Much Tempted Glass.
| London Cor. San Francisco Chroniclel
There are to-day In England about 200
jockeys, who make incomes varying from
$4,000 to $4,000 a year by the practice of
their profession. This estimate does noUin-'
ciude steeplechase or cross-country riders, OF
whom there are perhaps another 100 profess
eioriais and fully three times as many more
amateurs. As the steeplechase season only
lasts in this country from the end of Novem-
ber to the beginning of March, the cross
country riders do not make nearly SO much
money as their professional brethren
who confine their attention to the more
legitimate branch of the sport Of
racing. The English jockey serves an appren-
ticeship, the terms and conditions of which
are perhaps more rigid than those in force in
any other trade or 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 IL years Of age. long in the leg,
but short in the body, thin and yet wiry
withal are the most sought after. Probably
three-fourths Of the jockeys riding to-day
come from "horsey" families Either their
fathers have besn Jockeys before them, or
perhaps stud-grooms or stable boys, who
never became sufficiently proficient in the
art Of riding to enter the higher branch of
their profession.
A LUCKY wAIF.
Jockeys are occasionally picked up in all
sorts of odd places by shrewd trainers, who
always have their eyes open when travelling
about the country. Sam Kenyon, who in his
day was one of the best lght-weights that
ever got into a saddle, was picked up by
Cliff, the trainer, in back street in Man
chester. The little waif, who although at
the time Is years of age, was little bigger
than 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 ke was there and
then for pecuniary consideration allowed
to carry him off home to Hednesford. The
lad was plucky and soon acquired good seat
ON a horse, and five years later was earning
Tor his master fully 5000 a year. Subse-
luently, 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.
TRAINING SCHOOL,
Trainers treat their apprentices very diff
ferently. The veteran Matthew Dawson,
one of the oldest and possibly the most 70
spected Of his class, cares for the lads that
are bound to him almost as much as il they
were his own children Family prayers are
held morning and evening, ard every night
for a couple of hours or SO the lads, of whom
there are never less than forty or fifty at
cached to the establishment, are instructed
Al. 81
cation They are fed with the purest and
most wholesome food, decently and comfort
ably clad, and but for the fact that trey are |
engaged during a portion Of the day in
riding horses at exercise, and that each lad |
has the doing" Of n particular animal, the |
life they lead Is very much the same |
as that in daily progress at a good |
boarding school or 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 to be practically useless
for riding i'm a race. or the remainder, per-
haps only two or three will develop into |
promising horsemen. They may ride well |
enough TO be able to stick on horse, but yet
may lack Judgment in the matter Of pace
and be unequal TO sqeezing the last ounce out
Of a horse in a close finish. As time goes on,
Tue DOy WuUSs WelRnb uhS IOTUunAUeiy fOT
himself, increased but slightly, and who has
proved to the satisfaction Of bis master that
he possesses head as well as hands, will be
at length intrusted with mount in public,
and then, should he by chance be successful
in his first essay, he will find the road to
fortune an uncoinmonly easy one to travel.
PROFITS OF THE BUSINESS.
The earnings of some Of the leading jock
eys during the past two decades have been
almost fabulous. / know for a fact that
Fred Archer, who deservedy stands at the
head of his profession is worth upwards of |
S400, ,000 and his income to-day from riding
in public probably amounts to at least S30,-
900 a year. should say, however, that
Archer's career has been to some extent an
exceptional one
The usual Jockeys fee in fiat race is SIS
for a winning and $40 for a losing mount,
but as Archer frequently gets $500 for a
win and :casionally three times or even ten
times that amount, ] am sure / have
not overestimated his gains during the
period named He has been equally
successful during the last year and the season
which is drawing to a 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
4
2l0 wins, there can be no doubt that, il sue
csss il 30 be taken as q crucial test Of merit,
Fred Archer Is undoubtedly the premier
jockey in this country. Wood is also q
splendid rider and grand judge Of pace.
He has perhaps achieved more important
handicap triumphs than his great rival, but
In what are called the classic races-im-
portant events Of the year in which 3.year-
olds only are entitled to compete-Archer
has been the most successful
AMUCH-TEMPTED CLASS.
In this country jockeys are exposed to
even greater temptations than they are in
America. They are made more of by their
employers and their society is courted by
OF professionals who obtain a
livelihood by betting on race-horses. or
course these lads are in a position TO give in
information TO the gamblers, and /
have known many Of them who, after they
had made their mark and were in receipt Of
splendid incomes, forgot their duty to their
masters, plunged into all sorts Of dissipation
and finally died dishonored and penniless
almost before they were out Of their teens. 1t
Is bSt few years ago that saw Sam Adams
receive 1900 pounds sterling I'm presents
On chilly October afternoon in 1857, when
be won the Cambridgeshire, after sensa-
ional dead heat with Wolsey. Seven years
ater he was walking the streets Of London
with hardly o shoe to his fest, and finally
iropped down In the Strand, literally en-
piring Of starvation. Dan Butler, q fashion
lble lightrweight fifteen years ago, died re-
,ently In extreme poverty at Newcastle.
de was scarcely 30 years OF age As much
nay he said Of dozens Of other jockeys, and
when one considers how to-day chicanery
md roguery are said to have fairly honey
,ombed the turf, it is gratifying to find that
lt least some of the chief actors in the sport
an resist the temptations and scorn the
,r1bes that are presented TO them on every
ide by the unprinciplsd hangers-on Of ths