The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-22
FAS|G ON THE TROIIER
That Animal Is the Best ALL
Rounder on Earth.
RECORDS WILL BE LOWER
Origin of the Breed Colt
Racing in 0isfavor.

The American trotter is the most useful
all around horse in the world; he is the
swiftest and most tractable in harness.,
he is great sporting horse, he can run
some, he can work agreat deal, he can
outlast any breed in the world, he can
pull a plow if necessary, and he can out
hackney hackney in the premium show
ring, and beat him at his own game
showing off.
The thoroughbred horse will always
nave his field sport. and sport only.
CIydesdales, Eercherons, Normans and
other heavy draft breeds have their place
and always will have it-drudgery only.
But the American trotter beats the
world doing everything-and always will.
ms fact is most remarkable when the
comparative younth of the breed is con-
sloered, for it IS but little over fifty years
since Its origin, and not much more than
haIf that number of years since an intel
Hgent study as to how to produce him
with degree of certainty was applied
The thoroughbred or running breed has
existed hundreds of years, yet we now
in almost if not quite the proportion of
the runner that can race successfully.
Brush aside the cobwebs of visionary
theorists, each with a different hobby.
the widespread fallacy of the Arabian
breed or the superstition of the horse that
swan ashore somewhere on the Puritan
banks of the Atlantic in New England.
practical horsemen of today regard this
wonderful result as primarily a lucky
combination or the uniting and blending
of different harmonizing strains which
produced a fortunate nick, and which in
Guided that of the English thoroughbred
horse, principally through imported Mes
| senger, who, though passing as a strictly
pure thoroughbred, yet perhaps, was re-
ally little short of the required stand
ard by reason of a cross back in his ped
igree Of the Norfolk trotter with the ma
tive breed called the Naragansett pony,
and others of any and all breeds
Inshort, our forefathers builded wiser
! than they knew, and in so doing estab-
lished the foundation for the best breed
! Of horses in the world today From the
supposed strains Of this foundation some
real, others imaginary, later on grew the
endeavor to establish this horse as a
breed. and, as is always the case, the
| praisworthy undertaking quickly enlist
| ed an army of recruits to the cause,
many theorists, some good ideas, some
veritable rot, all prejudiced with a hob
| by all believeing they could breed the
! trotter the same as Paderewsk plays the
| piano-by note. that is, by a pedigree
OF course, this resulted in intelligent
investigation and survival of the fittest
| of the theories, and in consequence the
breed may now be said to be established
! 1t is susceptible of Improvement prinei-
| pally in establishing a more uniform type
| of the individual, merit greatly lack
! ing at present in the breed for a trotter
may be a pony or a leviathian; he may
| have short legs and be stout Of body, or
| he may stand on stills and lack substance
he may be ''homely" enough to drove one
to a jag sure, or handsome as the rosy
morn. But with it all he is a hardy horse,
an intelligent fellow, and a do-or-die-in
at-death determined one.
Type is about the only lacking desira-
BILE quality in the breed a fact now uni
versally recognized by our breeders. and
when an American sees a chance for i'm
Improvement in anything that improve.
ment comes surely and quickly. Then
the breed will be perfect.
Trotting sport has a foothold today
| greater than ever before in the world s
| history. England, its original birthplace,
| drifted away from it many years, but
it has recently met with more favor than
ever. There are several courses used ex-
| clusively for the sport. and a move is on
the table to build track inLondon which
will be favorable comparison with any
trOtting course in America. something on
the plan of the new Empire City track
here in New York Several prominent
| American turfmen are identified in the
project with wealthy English lovers of
the trotter. and as the movement cannot
fail in giving an impetus TO the sport
which will prove most beneficial to its
distinction of holding the worlds four
mile trottng records 5S-made by Polly
G.. an American-bred mare that raced
Quit successfully in this country as Bert
lie R. taking mile record OF 21212 before
going abroad IN both Scotland and Ire
land there are also a number of trottting
tracks. and the sport is in great favor
in those countries
On the European continent trotting IS
the national horse-racing suort Russia
has a native breed called the Orloffs, but
has made large importations Of the bet
ter or American breed. which corsseG
on the Orlon, has improved the native
stock greatly in speed. quality and STAN.
| ina. The Gar IS an ardent admirer OF
the sport and supports a campaigning
stable Of his own. The Government EN-.
pIoys an American instructor in the ar
or driving: and trotting is really the only
recognized horse sport Of the nation til,
pure-bred American horses however
! holding all the champion records OF tina
c'untry-and for that mater every coun
try.
Italy and France are ardeutly interest
ed in the trotter and have number o.
very fne courses. But Germany and Aus
ira are the leaders OF the trotting sam
= in Europe: that is. the present intereS
is greater there and growing more raod
70 ~. Austria has been the most EXTENSIVE
- buyer Of American horses. in fact Ia
4 [ purchased many of orr hest Campaieners
5 I best trottiDg raCe-horses IN Europe.
Austria has trOtting tracks. and trct
ting sport ranks high there although a
We. not equal u that Of the thorough
: bred running Sport. Even Japan has so
: the fever. that Government having Dur
/, chased quite literally in California spe
= cimens for breeding purposes
{ What is the limit 81 soeed 20 be o.
: tanned by trottius horse9
4 Among the first authenuCate5 record
: three minutes was considered very faS
: TO- atrotter, later tie &c rate oreva'e
, and although there were some real oe-
nomenons fer their dav ina, could Is =
or coiSe 70 &. the 80 age lasted lo~r-
N ] rlerha-s 49, ---.---...--- -