The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-05-31
THEIR FIRST MEETING
Gentlemen's Driving Club Hold Their
Opening Races.

The first matinee Of the Gentlemen s
| Driving club was given yesterday a.
| their park on West Central avenue
| formerly known as Griswold park or
| Gays park The afternoon was jlst
| cool enough for comfort, yet not cold
enough to interfere with the speed OF
| the horses. The attendance was good
! and the finishes so close that everyone
went home feeling that he got his mon
| ey's worth, and more. too; and judging
| from the number of entries for the next
matinee, July 4, the number Of speedy
buggy horses owned by club members IS
| surprising. The club has spent 5000 or
/ $500 on the track, widening 1t so tina:
! four or five horses can go abreast,
! throwing up the turns and trimming out
| all the tower branches so that the view
| of the horses is unobstructed all the way
| round.
The object of the club is to have a
| pleasant, quite place TO drive, and Incl
| dentally 10 create an interest in good
| buggy horses as distinguished from race
| horses.
Only club members can drive on the
| track Professional drivers are not
allowed to serve as judges or drivers, or
starters. Horses must be driven by
| their owners.
The best OF good feeling prevailed
| among the contestants. For example:
when Mr.. Taylor's trace came off in a
deciding heat Mr.. Sturgeon, who was
| ahead and seemed to have the race in
his own hands, pulled up and walked in
that they might have another start
The course is a half-mile track. All
races were one-half mile to top buggies.
The first event was the 3:15 trot, in
two parts. The first half was won in
straight heats by John Surgeons Little
Mack, in 1:231s and 1:27. DR.. Johnson's
Simolyte, second; Ed Taylor's Dolly B,
third.
The second half was won IN straight
heats by Ed Taylor's Daisy, in LIS and
1:25. John McGowan's Charlie o, Sec
ond; William Davidson's Wilksie, third.
The winners then came together for a
half mile dash, which was won by Ed
Taylor's Daisy, in 1:24lA.
The 300 pace was won by Bert Har-
mons Charlie Hill, In 20 and 1:20A.
John Surgeons Jim Corbett won the
first heat in 1:23, and threw a shoe.
The 800 trot was won in straight heats
by w. E. Jets Damo, in 1:45 and 1:43E.
DR.. Johnson's Zip, second; Charles Flee
mans Dollie third.
Match race with two in buggy be-
tween John McGowan's Charlie o, and
William Davidson's Wilksie was won
by Charlie o, in %.
The pony race was an exciting event
On the card, there being two dead heats
and half dozen starters. The names
of the starters were not learned. The
money was divided equally between the
three ponies that made dead heats. The
staying qualities OF the bang-tailed dun
surprised everybody. Time 1:01 and
1905 At the next matinee, on July 4.
the same ponies will run again for a
special purse
The last event on the card was the
mule race, which was won by Mr.. Law
sons, strawberry roam thoroughbred.
The time was so fast that the judges
watches failed TO catch 1t.
Mr.. George K. Spencer, secretary of
the club, was starter and everything
went off just right. The judges were
President Amdon, Treasurer Russell
and Mr.. George bold and no one could
have done better. All the finishes were
holly contested, close and extra good
out of which will probably grow several
matches for the next open events of the
club.