Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-09-28
Myrtle PEEK
AND HER TRAINED HORSES.
The Story of the Young Horse
wOman's Life.
A Michigan Girl who Had 1t " Born in
Her"

90 through her performance thought of her
as a woman born among "show people,
and trained for that kind of life Nothing
could be farther from the fact. She is
simply western farmers girl, with an in
stinctve and uncomfortable love of horses,
and with a rare gift for their management
and control She was born in Mendon, a
country town in southern Michigan, a few
miles from Kalamazoo. She was 26 wears
old last March. Her father had large
farm, on which many horses were used
From her earliest remembrance her one de-
light was to be out door, or at the barns
among the horses. Her father liked this
trait, and, naturally enough, encouraged it.
When She was mere tot he used to put
her on to the horses backs and hold her
there with one hand while he led them to
water. When she grew a little older, and
could cling ON by the name, he used to put
her up on a horses back and say, "Now
you must hang on; if you don't you will
tumble off, for l shan't touch you In
ways like this she grew up to be perfectly
fearless when among horses. When "A
young girl, running wild in the fields, she
would corner a coll, climb on his back,
and ride him to her hearts content. Aft
er seeing the sights of her first circus she
used to take one of the big horses used on
her fathers threshing machine, climb up
on his big, broad back, and drive him
around the straw stack for ''ring." An
escapade which she especially remembers
was cornering wild, unruly horse belong
ing to relative on a nei9hboring farm,
and mounting his back. The animal
showed his resentment by starting at
breakneck speed across the pasture and
through a thick wood, where she expected
every instant he would dash her head
against a tree trunk. But she stuck to his
back until he had had his fill of running
and stopped of his own accord. but |
had to walk home" she adds, "because |
had nothing to guide or drive him by"
She had Il sister several years Older, now
Madame Marantette, a circus fancy rider.
As Myrtle grew toward her teens the fame
of herself and hrr sister, as expert horse
women, became known locally, and they
used to ride in races at the county fairs,
land we always won them, too" 1t was
at this time that long-dstance racing was a
fad with sporting men abroad, and one Dr.
Reynolds of Colorado an elderly man of
ample means, became fired with an ambi-
ton to rival such feats in this country. He
bought a stud of horses for this purpose,
and then found that the problem was to
get riders. While going on a railroad train
conductor of the train told him about the
two peek girls The doctor immediate
ly came to the Peek farm and made his err
rand known. Myrtle was at the barn, as
usual, in short dresses and barefoot, when
her sister came for her. The father said
he didn't know about letting her go, but
elf one went both would 60" The result
was that the two sisters went to Rockford
to train for lOng-distance running races.
This was in 1852, when Myrtle was II
years old. The riding and training were Sc
we're, and the little girl didn't like it, and
cried to 90 home, but her sister encouraged
her to stay to try just one race. She did
stay, and won the race, one of five miles.
against a champion rider. From Rockford
she went 10 Rochester y. Y, and after
that TO Kansas, where she rode 20 miles in
43 minutes and 81 seconds including the
time taken for 10 changes of horses. The
method Of running the races was TO change
horses at the end of every mile. A fresh
horse was at the wire, as the rider came in,
and two men stood ready to take the riders
foot and vault her from one saddle TO the
other, with less than two seconds delay in
stopping, changing and starting again.
Some five or SIX years ago Miss Peek
went to California, where, at Los Angeles
and San Diego, her most notable riding in
this line was done. She rode 20-mile
race in 40 minutes and 20 seconds, 30 miles
in 80 minutes and 20 seconds, 80 miles in
ITO minutes and s. seconds; and 100 miles
in three hours, % minutes and % seconds.
The lOO-mile race was ridden against time.
The others were against Henry Peppers,
famous colOred jockey. At Minneapolis
she won the championship of the world in
a 20 mile race, against Cricket Still, we'll
known Kansas rider.
Miss Peek tired Of this riding and then
took up the class of work which she is now
doing, which includes the riding of Roman
standing races, high jumpers, saddle and
trick horses, hurdle races, and double team
races. The first exhibition of this kind
which she ever gave was at Allentown,
Pa, and it was there that she took up of
her own accord, and against the protests OF
her manager, Roman standing racing, the
most difficult and dangerous of all sports
of this kind. Having got the idea into her
head she had some small foot-pads made,
unbeknown to her manager. When they
were done She took them to the race ground
and ordered pair of horses "hOoked up"
"NOu are Wild,' the manager said, "yOu
will break your neck" VERY WE'LL" she
answered him, sit is my neck, and l am
going to Try it," She did try it, and after
two pra,tice rides, rode successfully at an
afternoon exhibition. From Allentown
her combination went to Albany, y. Y,
where she performed feat which seemed
worse than reckless to everybody but her
self Her company had just bought pair
of thoroughbred, high-strung, running
horses, which almost invariably ran away
with whoever tried to drive them to wagon.
One afternoon she ordered these horses
hitched up for the Roman race. Johnny
Murphy, a New York sporting man, had
formerly owned the horses and knew their
mettle. He was leaning on the fence in
front of the grand stand when they were
brought up, and said, For Gods sake,
Myrtle, you are not going to try to ride
them" "Of course l am, she answered"
and mounted them. On the instant they
reared straight upon their launches, and
her sister, who was watching from a car
riage, tainted at the sight. But Myrtle
rode the race successfully. She says she
never feels any fear when on any horses
back, but is perfectly calm and collected
and makes no effort at self-cOntrol. Hel
fastest running mile was ridden four year:
ago in Providence in l:474. AT Wabash
Ind, she rode a half mile in 81 seconds
She is the only rider, man or woman, il
a