Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-09-13
LADIES TOURNAMENT.
A Field of Thirteen Fair Equestriennes
Try the Rings and Hurdles.

A Field of Thirteen Fair Equestriennes
Try the Rings and Hurdles.
Yesterday witnessed the preliminary con.
test between twelve ladies and misses who
decided to compete for the prizes offered by
the State Agricultural Society TO be dis.
tributed among those eontendiDg therefor
in the feats of horsemanship. There was a
large crowd of spectators present, largely
composed of ladies and children. By 10
o'clock the competitors began to put in an
appearance, but it was an hour later when
they all drew up in line before the Judges
stand to receive their instructions. The
names of the riders, and numbers assigned,
are as follows:
No. Miss Oracle Dixon, of Sacra-
mento.
No. miss May Lemsy, of Sacramento.
No. 3-Mrs. w. A. Stephenson, of Sac
ramen.o.
No. 4-Miss Laurie Aubertis, of Sacra-
mento.
No. 5-Mrs. J. NJ. Collier, of Sacramento.
No. 6-Miss Efie Kemp, of Pleasant
Grove, Sutter county.
No. S-Miss Edith Bradley, of Sacra-
mento.
No. 9-Miss May Foss, of Sacramento.
No. 10-Miss Logan, of Sacramento.
No 1l-Aiss Mabel Fay, of Sacramento.
No. 12-Miss Bessie Quarle, of Sacra-
mento.
No. 13-Miss Anna Kemler of Reno,
New.
Two of the contestants were little girls
Mabel Fay Of this city being but II years of
age, and Effie Kemp Of Sutter years. But
the Juveniles rode remarkably well, handl-
ing their horses with the skill of veterans
A few of the ladies were well mounted, but
the majority of the horses were strangers
TO the racetrack, and were very nervous
and excitable in the presence OF so many
people. The music in the grand stand and
the applause so freely bestowed upon each
lady did not help matters in this particular.
The ladies first rode by the judges stand
side by-side. then singlv, and finally in
couples Then each was provided with a
light pinewood "lance," such as was used
last year. aud they took turn-about at tilt
ing for rings suspended few feet over the
track from frames erected in front of the
Judges stand.
Most of the riders found much difficulty
in getting their timid horses close enough
to the rail, and the tilting, as a whole, was
not q success. Two or three ladies man
aged to take both rings, few others cap
tured one each, and several failed to score
at all The more successful at this test of
skill were Misses Dixon and Kemler Dur
ing this contest the ladies improved the
opportunities offered TO exhibit their skill
in fast riding, and each was roundly ap-
plauded.
Then the hurdle was brought out 1t
consisted Of ponderous pole some thirty
L. :.
heavy that there was imminent danger of
any horse being thrown upon its head if ii
failed to clear the bar One horse had
very narrow escape from an accident Of
this kind. Indeed, the hurdle leaping
should be abolished from these contests.
The horses ridden by ladies about the city
are not trained to leapiDg, and II is rarely
that any of them are ever called upon to
face hurdle except when brought face to
face with il on the race-track on such occa-
sions as yesterday. Some would balk sud-
denly in front of the pole, and very few
understood how to time their gait so as to
reach the hurdle prepared to jump.
II was also evident from yesterdays ex-
hibition that-while all the ladies were
good riders-very few had ever had expe-
rience in hurdle leapipg. One lady came
near being thrown while her horse was
making frantic leap over the bar, and the
little girl, Miss Kemp, bad a narrow
escape from severe fall Her horse made
plunge over the hurdle, and she was
thrown from her seat in the saddle. With
great presence of mind, however, she clung
TO the side of the saddle and at the same
time refined in her horse. Being an intel
ligent and gentle animal he stepped at
once. as If he knew the danger his child
rider was in, and stood there while the lit
tie girl climbed up his side and regained
her seat in the saddle.
This hurdle.leaping by inexperienced
riders and unframed horses should not be
allo we'd, and the judges should not require
it. Il is no test of graceful. nor even of
good riding. 1t smacks too much Of the