The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-31

The uncertainty seems to have arisen
from two distances mentioned in Bells
Life OF that date. In the account OF the
steeplechase itself the distance is given
as 81 feet, but In a paragraph IN another
part OF the paper 1t was stated to be 50
feet William Archer father OF the
Jockey, Fred Archer. saw the jump, how
ever. a nd In later years testified in IA
vor OF the latter distances. ri,
Lord Ingcstre's horse Lathcr once
Jumped 81 feet inches over a mari pit
in run with the Pytchley hounds. A
horse named Culverthornetis said to have
Jumped 80 feet Mt 5Whlssendene. but
there does not appear to be any trust
worthy record of the leap At the close
OF 1887 Mr.. Muntz, NJ. r, jumped into
'ctasm 40 feet deep, end one Of the
is the famous chalk-plt adventure OF
Paulet ST. John who III 1888 unlnten-
tIonally Jumped into pit Is feet
deep on Hunsley Down Hants. BY great
good luck neither, horse nor man was IN
jured, and Just q twelve month later the
Same pair won a hunters race, the morse
being entered in the name OF Beware
Chalk Pit" On Farley Mount, not d,. TAR
from the scene OF St. Johns exploit,
monument was erected. the Inscription.
giving the particulars just stated, and
saving that the horse was buried under
meath. .y
TO a certain extent history repeated
itself ia years later, IN March, 1881,
when Barton Wallop. hunting with the
Hursley hounds Jumped a newly made
stake and -barred fence and landed IN
pit, the bottom of.which was 10 feet pc
low the top OF TN fence, A young gen.
tleman OF Lancashire earned niche IN
the gallery OF notables by jumping on
the battlement OF Egremont bridge. near
Whitehaven, and dropping 20 feet Into
about one foot OF water with no worse
consequence than a sprained ankle. An
other man while hunting In the year llsu
dropped 80 feet into an old shaft, The
horse was killed. but the rider escaped
without a scratch,
Foreigners often wonder that irish
horses are such adept jumpers The rea-
son Is plain. In the olden times IN lre-
land a country stallion was priced not
for his good looks, make, conformation or
breeding, but for the manner IN which
he could acqult himself over the country.
At the old spring country fairs In Ireland
1t was no unusual, sight slxty OF seventy
years ago to see n string OF ABOUT twenty
stations, all ridden by their owners o.
owners sons, careering about madly ana
taking sensational jumps. For IT was
we'll known that he that got through the
most sensational performances was sure
to command the largest share OF the pa
tronage from the onaookers, and hundreds
OF intending breeders used to attend such
fairs for the purpose OF Judging for them
selves as to tho merits OF the represen-
tatIve candidates for stud honors.
Tho fair In the county Waterford held
on May i, was a great place for show
Ing stations. and several notable jumps
We're Wei made a great many years ago
horse named 5Skylark, owned lshy Mr'
i,rendergast, and ridden by Mergin. a
groom, Jumped into the pound over q
wall feet ! inch and jumped out Of y
again, AT the fair Of Glynn. held In the
southern limits Of Tipperary, this stall
lions jumping was greatly IN 9Yogue. On
one occasion great competition was car.
rled on, and two brothers Of the name OF
walsh, from Kilkenny, with their stall
lions, were In 1t, Finding they could not
beat their opponents, one Of, the Washes
while the other Jumped the stallion over
him, Lord Waterford, father Of the.
present Lord Charles RsfsssoEds RODE =