New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-14
GEE-GEES WAY UP IN e..
OPENING DAY OF THE ANNUAL SHOW AT
THE MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.
AGAIN FOR WEEK THE HORSE RULES
SOCIETY. AND OH! AND OIL! THE
AUTOMOBILE is FORGOT.

For week out OF the yearly calendar New
York and all that in It live bow down TO the
horse This is the week It began yesterday
morning. when at . o'clock the orange and black
coors OF the National Horse Show Association
announced the opening Of the fifteenth annual
carnival OF the horse The raising of the flag
on the tower where Diana spreads out her arms
TO the wind was the outward and visible sign.
Down below in the arena the ceremonies were OF
a more spectacular kind. Headed by a bugler
playing as nspiriting call as can be composed
with the range Of a bugle's notes. the hundred
or more attendants. grooms and ring men.
dressed In distinctive costumes, paraded about
the tanbark circle with much the same solemn'ty
that was displayed by the gladiators Of old when
they marched around the arena before meeting
in bloody contest. The parade over. the gates OF
the ring thrown open, and within a few
minutes half hundred neghing and curveting
horses bestrdden and others led by the
bride. were prancng over the tan. taking their
morning constitutional, prior to the entry Of
the judges. Thus the show opened and 1t
started out with every promise that there would
be no detracton from the brilliance and success
which has attended it in the past.
NO PLACE FOR THE PEssIMIsT.
For the last year or two the pessmist has
Deen dt Work WIN gloomy predlctlOnS OF tne
waning of the glories of the show both as a
social affair and from "horsey" point OF view.
The pessmist, as a rule is one OF those ubiqui-
tous individuals who base their calculations
more upon possibilities than actual conditions.
Last year. before the show opened, he predicted
that society had done with it, and would desert
It. but when the show came society at
the rngside in as great a number as upon pre-
vious occasions. This year the inevitable croaker
appeared again, and, pointing to the wide hold
which the automobile has taken upon popular
favor, declared that the day of the horse had
gone by. and ergo interest in the show would
depart with him.
But matter OF fact, both In quality and
in number. the exhibits this year exceed those
Of former seasons. Not for long time to come
is the self f-propelled vehicle likely TO supplant
the horse source of enjoyment to the aver
age human being The automobile cannot give
the same tingling to the blood as does canter
across the fields a spirited horse; the same
pleasure and bracing excitement are not to be
derived from turning the handle OF mechanical
carriage as from guiding and holding in check
a team of handsome and high stepping animals:
nor Is the changing of a gong more musical
than the crack of whip or the champing OF
bits. Let the pessmst say what he will, the
desire OF man to possess better sample OF
horsefesh than neighbor is widespread and
so long that rivalry continues, so long will
the Horse Show continue to be of the great
exhibitions of the year in this city.
NOT GAGE OF PUBLIC SUPPORT
So far as attendance goes, Monday the first
day. is never a day upon which TO gauge
idea as to the amount of public support the
Horse Show will obtain 1t is not the favorite
mir rule md n 10
trials are in the nature Of wedding out contests
the general public does not gather around the
arena in such solid masses or fill so many OF the
balcony seats as in the latter part Of the week.
While the attendance yesterday both in the
morning and afternoon was large last night IL
was abnormally so. By about o'clock the boxes
began to fill, did the balconies Immediately 10
the rear, until at 10 o'clock. the hour at which
the show is always at its best, socially speak
ing. there were according estimates made.
not less than five thousand people in the build
ing The scene was almost as fully animated
and brilliant may be looked for on the So
called fashionable nights Of the week. 1t was
a pretty picture and certainly at no other horse
show in any other part Of the world could its
like be seen.
The striking colots OF the beautiful costumes
worn by the women were heightened in effect
by the contrast Of the sober evening dress OF
their escorts
In the promtnade around the arena was
constantly moving :hrong. with their faces for
the most part turned toward the boxes and
their backs TO the horses, while the rails
there hung a solid phaanx three or four deep,
noting the performances of the competitors. and
then subsequently, by a vigorous clappng OF
hands intimating that the awards OF the judges
were in accordance with their own estimation
Of the comparative merits OF the exhibits. In
side the ring were the horses themselves. some
times prancng and cavorting III sheer enjoy
ment at being released from the stalls after
being cooped up probably the whole day; some-
times moving around the ring in swift process
zion, singly, in pairs, in tandems and In four-ip-
hands as the class Of contest called for, while
at other times they were jumping high barriers
with the grace and skill OF the trained hunter.
Over all there ascended the incense Of the tam
bark while from some far away corner came the
strains of a tuneful waltz. Seen from the TOP
gallery especally-if one took the trouble 70
climb so hight was in all its dinerent phases
a spectacle of singular beauty and exhilaratins
vivacity.
FAVORED BY THE WEATHER.
Had the MANAGEMENT Of the association had
the selecting Of their own weather they could
have chosen no better conditions than prevailed
The weather is always matter OK
vital consideration 20 the show. AS 1t Is fine or
otherwise. so is the attendance OF the general
public affected. Yesterdays weather was bright.
clear and braclng and there is reasonable pros
oect that It will continue so during the rest OF
he week.
The gathering during the earlier part OF the
lay was typical one. 1t was composed Of men
md women who belong 10 the category known
Is railbirds who find the good points Of horse
more attractive than any dream OF the dress
makers art or a millinery poem" and who
prefer spending their time in descanting upon
he relatively good and bad conformatons OF the
ontestants In the ring to hazarding opinions as