The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-03-30
OUR FIELD SPORTS.
HOW THEY ARE PRACTlCED IN
THE OLD DOMINION.

Peculiar Tastes of Disqualification of
Sportsmanship- Thoroughbred stock
Bench show at the Exposition-Fox-
Hunting Fields sport Association.
A number Of gentlemen interested in
legitimate fed-sports, in the spring OF 1887
secured the passage Of an act by the Gene
raj Assembly Of Virginia, Incorporating
"The Virginia Field->ports Association.
The purposes of the association were 10 Sc
cure the enforcement Of a iudicious system
of laws FOR the preservation Of game within
The broai limits of this Commonwealth,
where field and forest present az many at
fractions for the huntsman, and as rich CO.
vert for game as any state IN the mon.
In fact 10 those who have tramped over the
hills and lOw-grOunds of Virginia, with gun
and dog. the fact is PLAN that ms much sport
can be had here, II diligently sought Tor, as
anywhere else. The war made many
changes that affected the growth OF game.
The sumac bull and his owner squaited IN
the forests of Eastern Virginia, ana the
hungry stOmachs of the negroes were the
main incentives, i'm their quest OIL
game. Their Vanished ours gobDled
featherad tribe before their pinions afforded
them means Of flight, and young game Of all
sorts went down before the murderers
shOrt-rangc discharge ~ bOb-tail muskets
and army carbines, that had been scattered
through the country by the Yankees. The
negro settlers in the woods broke up the
range OF turkeys. deer aud foxes. ana drove
them frOm their accustomed haunis. The
war; i'm its after results. had a demOralizug
sniff On
political mOrals-ii there ever were any-oi
some Of the people. and the Virginia Field
Sport Association were moved with the
cOmmendable idea of doing something %
protect game, 20 restOck such portions OF
the state as are depleted Of game, and en-
courage the people in observing game
laws and Furnishing all who violated them,
and by field trials and bench shows create
an interest in breeding sporting dogs.
AS TO DOGS.
II is curious TO notice the peculiar tastes
and strange rivalry that exist in regard 10
breeding dogs. Human nature IS the same
the world over. just as true as every man
has his faults, so have dogs. no matter how
well bred they may be. how long their pedi-
gree or whether il is written in English or
Arabic: and equally true Is IL that no mat
ter how mean a man may be, there Is almost
certain % be some good IN him. 30 OF dogs.
The meanest dogs, as judged from certain
standpOints. are better than the best de-
seconded ones, and vice versa. 10 Is simply
education. The sO-caled county scrub.
without "points" as laid down in books by
alleged "indisputable authority knocks all
the f0-de-rO book theory sky-high alter
a ten-mile gallOp behind his masters horse.
When he is put in the bushes and briars, by
the side of a similarly treated city bred.
tender foot, with pedigree yard long
breadth OF nose. shape Oilimb, and book de-
fined symmetry and nothing else 10 III him
for pursuit of game. But II IS hardly lair
10 place this as a charge against the thor
Oughbred. CIse him the same opportuni-
ties OF education. and nncty-nine times
out Of a hundred he will do better than the
scrub dog, who has enjoyed benefits mat
was denied his city cousin. There are
good dogs Of both kinds, and 10 is wrong to
indiyiduaize as to their merits, TO the eN-
tent OF derisiOn and Remuneration OF either
at the expense of the other.
ELEVATION OF sPORTsMANsHIP.
The VirginiaiField Sports Association saw
this as one reason that sportsmanship was
not elevated 10 the height that il deserved.
Ii saw the waste places I'm the game world,
widening and growing daily, stretching Ne
deadly dimensions all over the state The
picture was not pleasant, and the gentle
men who started the association set 10 WORK
with will in order TO stop and strange the
Octopus that was stretching its deadly arms
in every direction in Old virginia.
Now what has the association accom-
plishedy
They saw the fact staring them in the
face. that In this loved Old Dominion, cele-
brated for its line horses, matchless dogs,
and finest sort Of fields for AL sorts OF game
and sport. there was more than an even
chance, that all these would soon be num-
bered among the many other bright things
OF the past % be heard of, not seen, ana 20
Dc loved only because lost. The subject
was serious one. worthy Of grave consid-
Grafton Good could only be accomplished
by active cooperation among the citizens
from every quarter of lho state. once gone,
our game would never be restored, and ITS
loss would never be- SO keenly ieltas when Il
became known that IL was gone forever.
The association was formed, and set at once
20 work 10 secure such wise legislation as
would protect game and foster care for the
observance Of the law. The excellence Of
It's membership was indisputable. sports
men from all over the state were brought
into close. contact. and discussed questions
affecting the interests Of real sport. IL was
determined 10 vigorously enforce the law,
and this has been done, and great good has
resulted.
INTEREST IN THE BLOOD OF DOGS.
Another thing of importance, was the
creation OF an increased interest in the
blood OF dogs This was question that
heretofore had received only sporadic notice.
Here and there gentlemen scattered over
different portions Of the state had found
both pleasure and reward In the cultivation
OF the finest breeds 0fdogs. Whenever they
met, which was always informally, the in
terchange Of thought. and eXpinence. al
WAYS resulted In something interesting and
instructive. But there had been no concert
Of action aud as "A matter Of course no great
good accomplished. Sometimes the learned /
authorities on dog pedigrees, were made the /
butt Of jest and rldicule by the palmer and 1
less prctentlons lovers Of "mdns best frlend,' /
the dog. One Instance Ofthis kind is recalled. /
A wel-knOwn wag, ONerhearing a learned I
discussion between masters OF rival settlers,
on the purity 81 strain Of the dogs (bOth !
having authenticated pcdigrees 10 bolster
their claims), proposed to present them with
a dog that had better pedigree than either
Of theirs. The presentation occurred with
due formality next day, when the wag came
IN with China dog aud manufactured
pedigree OF the most humorous kind. and
about three feet long. The presentation took
place, produced great laughter al the ex-
pense Of the gentlemen who received the
dog, aud cost them several bottles OF wine
besides. The association gave particular
attention 10 gathering and disseminating
all the Information they could gather IN re-
gard 10 pure-bloodec dogs. and accomplished
a deal ~ 200 by their concentrated aud
united efforts in this direction.
yng ASSOCIATION AND THK EXPOSITION.
Tha kfro!,fs ExnossffoD Guaranteed the 1