New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-18
HORSE BEGINS HIS SHOW.
ENTRIES EXCEED LAST YEARS IN
NUMBER
ATTENDANCE AT THE GARDEN GOOD FOR
THE FIRST DAY-F. AMBROSE CLARK
COMES CROPPER.

THE FIRST DAY-F. AMBROSE CLARK
COMES CRoPPER.
The Horse Show is The Horse Show. with a
capital IT, and when has said that
has described 1t with sufficient particularly.
There are other horse shows. Nearly every city
Of any consequence has its own, but The Horse
Show is in class all by itself 1t opened yes
terday morning Madison Square Garden,
whose arena Will be given over TO equine con-
tests for style, beauty and usefulness during
the rest of the week. To say that the Horse
Show is again a success would be superfuous.
The days past when people used TO ask
themselves each fall, will the Horse Show be
success this year?' The show has come TO be
permanent institution like the opera the auto
mobile 1t may vary slightly from year to
year in the calibre of its success. but its popu-
larity is deeply mbedded in the hearts of the
community that of the horse himself.
Yesterdays attendance was fully up TO the
first day average of former years beth in point
Of quantity and quality, and in the evening the
vast arena surrounded on every side by
an animated, richly dressed throng which either
looked down on the ring from the boxes and
reserved seats circulated slowly about the
promenade, observing those who occupied seats
above them. Probably the contrasts to be OBJ
served among the crowd greater this year
than ever. There were, Of course, the repre-
sentatives of the fashionable set and most of
them were TO be seen in boxes; but some of the
occupants of the boxes were far from being in
society. and looked exceedingly lonely as they
sat in solitary isolation. One of these was a
wine agent. who paid the highest price for a
box sold at the annual auction which preceded
the show.
The Horse Show crowd is always a we'll
dressed one. Indeed. while thousands regard
ii as the real opening of the social season
and many return to the city for the first time
since summer to attend the doings in the
Garden, there thousands who make a pill
grimage TO the Garden not because they care
anything for the horses or for the people, but
because they wish to see the latest tendencies
OF fashion as exemplihed in the clothes that
are worn by the smart people in attendance.
The sightseeing person, who goes just he
comes from business. secure in the knowledge
that he is almost sure 10 see nobody he knows
and who frankly stares from his going in 10
his coming out. seems to be more numerous
than usual this year He strolls about the
promenade with his hands behind him or in
his pockets and his head tilted up at the
boxes until it seems a marvel that he does
not get cramp in his neck. Sometimes he
brings a friend with him, and when he does
this the two frankly and smilingly criticise
the appearance and clothes of those who are
the ODyeClS OI tH6H scrutiny
NO ENTRIES FROM T. W. LAWSON.
Last evening. when the thrush was at it's
height, not long after 9 o'clock. a crowd of
sightseers not one of whom was in evening
dress. gathered opposite the main entrance TO
the garden, with their backs to the ring. and
devoted themselves undisguisedly to staring at
everybody who came in. There's So-and- So"
they whispered to each other. who paid that
big price for that racehorse;" or, Just look at
So-and-So. He's the chap that married that
wealthy girl from San Francisco" Some. still
bolder than the others, even crowded up the
stairs at either side of the big entrance the bet
ter TO scrutinize the crowd II came in. 1t
was not horse show at all to these people. 1t
was a man and woman and clothes show. So
they turned their backs frankly the prancing
steeds and gazed at the human exhibit. which.
il must be admitted. the whole we'll
worth looking at
There are a good many folk who would like
n believe with William c. Whitney that the
horse is really the source from which springs
the success of the Horse Show. This is oft
nnooted subject. and probably no man can say
lust how near right Mr.. Whitney is in his
declaration Of faith in the love that Americans
have for the horse. Suffice IL 10 say. however.
that IL is a horse show. even if there things
| there that are more interesting than the horses.
| Moreover, it is a good horse show, as far as it
goes and the limitations such that probably
M horse show could go further. There are I66
entries this year. about n score more than last
wear and goGd judges think the quality high.
all things taken into consideration The har-
ness horse classes are especially strong, despite
the absence of one or two exhibitors whose ami
mails have won many prizes at previous exhibi-
tiors and this fact alone seems to indicate that
| the show IS doing good work in the cultivation
| ~ a high type of horse for carriage and har-
/ ness use The principal absentee in this class
1 &c Thomas w Lawson. of Boston, whose horses
/ of the Glorious tribe carried off so many blue
r,bbons last season. Mr.. Lawson's showing in
| the harness horse class last season was truly
| nbenonenal and his absence this year is
| missed II mas been attributed in some quarters
| 20 a fear that his chances tins season might
| surfer nv reason of some criticism made in his
| hook on the action of several members of the
| sye,vyorbx Yacht Club. who are also influential
/ members of the Horse Show Association. 1t is
| .a,r 20 saw however. that Mr.. Lawson would
| rrobabIv he quick to disclaim any such motive.
william C. whitney. who acted as one of the
Continued on second page.