Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-06-05

1llaracter of une sport has
already been demonstrated this year. In
San Francisco, when Mr.. T. H. Williams,
Jr., the well known amateur horseman,
won the race for gentlemen riders March
81 with Tenplemorc, two Of the amateurs
came cropper in approved English style,
and one of them, Mr.. Norwood, was I'M
conscious for an hour. In Philadelphia
the way the Country clubs horses and
jockeys did the ground and lofty tumbling
act would have brought u green flush of
envy to even the cheek of the renowned
Humpty Dumpty.
During the Belmont steeplechase May 12
Passmore, with Griffin up, and lakewood,
Hayes up, formed a pyramid at the first
hurdle; Blong, who rode The Shamrock,
came cropper at the third hurdle, and
Little Chance, after going u miles, broke
her neck. Griffin broke his collar bone,
was badly cut about the head and was I'M
conscious 10 minutes. Hayes also broke
his collar bone, and of the four starters not
one finished the race ridden by his original
jockey. The hurdles were feet inches
high--a foot higher than the associa-
tons rules provide for, it is said-and the
result indicates that a serious mistake was
made in requiring the hunters to attempt
what was beyond their strength
Mr.. Leonard Boyne, the actor, who was
VIGIL kilOWu StullcIlitll Ilttci III r-iiSltilu
and Ireland and is thoroughly convcrsant
with stceplcchasing on the other side, be-
lieves that a good rider is as natural
product as a good poet Training is an
excellent thing, but if II man is not n born
rider he will never make his mark in
stecplechaSing. 1T is very dangerous
sport, 3" said Mr.. Boync, but while bro
ken legs and collar bones are often in evil
dence remember few fatal accidents. On
the other side the riders are of two classes
amateurs and professionals, They ar
distinguished by the prefix Mr.. or by its
absence. For example, Mr.. John Smith
| on the programme indicates that tho per
son named is n gentleman rider who fol-
lows stueplechasing for pleasure and not
profit. On the cthrr hand, John Smith
| on the card means that John is a profess
sional jockey.
There is one thing in stacplcchasing
for tho ambitious American to avoid
haste. Take time. EUnu compel your
green horses to perform what is beyond
them, but give thcla proper timc to be-
come conditioned before you call upon
them to run long races and take the high
est jumps. Don't SOW today and expect
to reap tomorrow. In England and Ire
land three months of steady daily work
are given strcplCchascr before he is called
upon to make his supreme effort. Even
then, as in the recent grand national, when
Carrollstown dropped dead after the race,
the task proves too great for them. l
think must have been thrown u hundred
| times, but never received severe injury.
| Four of the worst falls l ever had were rid
ing Roquefort on the stage in the great
| steeplechase scene in The Prodigal
Daughter" Mr. E. p. Wilson, who has
| viz in
| once saw this stage race, and after it was
| over he told me he would rather ride in
| three actual grand nationals than in u
| single mimic one on the stage Rogue
| fort, by the way, once carried Mr. Wilson
to victory in the real grand national at
| Aintrer"
Mr.. Boync, like most Irish gentlemen,
is a capital story teller and relates several
excellent tales about stccplechasing. III
one racca trainer gave his jockey very care
full Instructions Now, lie third until
! tho last fence" he said; "then let out her
head and come on and WIN.
! To tho trainers deep disgust the marc
| not only started third, according to in
| structions, but ran third all tho way.
BLANK your Cycs!" roarel the trainer
| after the race Didn't 1 tell you to lie
| third until the last fence and then como
| on and VIM"
eyes, sir, you did, sir, )" replied the re-
| spcctful jockey, but L couldn't como on
| without the marc"
| Mr.. Boyne says that at tho stecplechases
in Mullingnr Ireland, the people all flock
| to snch pcrilous places along the course as
the water jump and the open ditch or
| grave" as il is commonly called, and
| display much mora interest in the victims
than they do in the victors. After the race
| they compare notes somewhat after the fol-
| lowing fashion:
GLOW NANNY killed that tonne, Mick?'
"Shurc, only two and II jockey
EARLE II. EATON.