The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-12-16
RABBIT coURsINe IN KENTUCKY.
Blue Grass Bellies Took Part In the
 Chase for Little "cottontalls."

From the Philadelphia North American.
 Rabbit coursing Is the latest fad of so- ciety in Kentucky. The -four hundred' of the Blue Grass region have adopted this new kind of sport, and hardly day passes without run after the little cot tontail" The women are even more en- thusiastic over the chase than the men. Mounted on their spirited thoroughbreds, they follow the beagles and greyhounds at breakneck speed.
 The beautiful country seat of James B. Haggin Is the scene of many of these cross-country rabbit runs in which so- ciety has taken to indulging itself. Only a few days ago the Iroquois club of Lex ington rode out to "Elmendorf.' as MT. Haggin's estate is called, and partici- pated in a whole day of rabbit coursing. In all there were more than fifty riders, including the three charming grand- daughters of the venerable turfman, the Countess Anna Festetics, Miss Ethel Loundsbury and Miss Mabel McAfee or New York.
 This trio of beauties had the finest thoroughbreds that the great .Haggin breeding establishment could afford and their daring dashes. across country were 
 Not even the bellies of the Blue Grass re- 1 zion, trained all their days to the saddle. ! could outstrip the three reckless horse women who had been trained to ride in the schools of New York, London and i Paris.
 The start was made from Lexington l early In the day, the club being led by It's president Colonel Roger Williams. They galloped out to Green Hills In good order, | thar uup joined hV MT and Mrs Haggin and their three granddaugh- | ters The famous turfman and his wife were not mounted but drove out to meet | their guests in a carriage and watch the coursing of the "cottontails." Mir. flag gins grandson, Ben Ali Haggln, mounted on a big chestnut thoroughbred that was once a well known factor on the turf, was there as special guardian of the 1 granddaughters.
 | From Versailles Paris, Frankfort and 1 other places came many riders At the | close of the days sport 1t was found that no less than seventy-flve rabbits had been | run down and captured. and of these nearly half were the trophies of the dar- ing women riders. Indeed they were all ways in the van of the chase and close on
 the heels of the pack of beagles and
 greyhounds. They took ditches and fences
 with the skill and grace of the veteran |
 ous generals, colonels and majors who
 took part in the sport.
 When the days coursing was over the | riders unanimously voted the Countess | Festetics the most daring equestrienne oi
 the day Then the half a hundred riders
 galloped back to the great Haggin man.
 sion and were entertained at luncheon
 From the zeal of these hosptable Ken | tucl1ians 1t is believed that rabbit cours- ing will entirely supplant the time honored sport of fox chasing. So popular
 has it become among the society folR | that little else is talked about these days
 The women are even more enthusiastic | than the men, and that Is very prom | ising phase of the sport.
 Gen. w. H. Gentry, a noted Kentuck- | ian, is one of the most zealous advocates of the hunt At no little expense he has l converted a blue grass tract of more thar 200 acres into big park for the coursins | of rabbits. and his country place Is the scene of many of the hunts of society folk t5e has imported several score oi jack rabbits from Colorado, and these