The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-11-03

or three miles, the avn being the finishing
point, il a frequent fixture.
The riders ave a certain field and 90
across country as the crow flies. over fences
and brooks. in a mad rush for the club.
They come trOoplng on the polo field. all
riding desperately. and no race could have
a more thrilling ending, the appearance
OF racers from over the fence or hedge
having the s~uddenness Of n jack-in-the- box.
and there is a scattering of whatever gym
eys the right Of way.
Tho cOurse for these races 10 marked out
in advance by IA -. The jockeys entered
parade their horses on the lawn and are then
escorted to the POST by mounted stewards
and the starter. When the cavalcade is out
OF sight a minor game begins and continues
in their finish.
About New York the programmes OF the
gymkhanas vary according to- the tastes
or certain advantages a club Possesses for
a certain line Of sport. At the Country
Club OF Westminster, where the lawn over
looks the Sound, there may be funny tub
races or other aquatic features and also q
race at clay bird shooting at the traps on
the edge Of the water.
Al Knollwood and Ardsley matches on
the putting course are added to please the
gOling members. They are not ordinary
putting competitions but a sort Of obstacle
race in which the shots have to be made
through headless barrels, around persons
sitting in chairs, over fur rugs spread on tho
turf and under other novel conditions.
At Meadow Brook, Essex county, the
ROckaway Hunting and the Whippany
River clubs polo pony trials and races are
always prominent. The Richmond County
Country Club has always some odd golHng
competition. The Tuxedo Club does not
60 in for Gymkhana until ice sports may
be added TO the cards.
Many OF the best gymkhana meets are at
private houses or o. the grounds Of hotels.
A wheelbarow race in which men i'm
| personated the vehicles and ran forward
on their hands while women held their feet
made fun at a recent hotel gymkhana.
Automobiles figure in %gymkhana In
many ways. There is not time enough,
az a rule, nor room enough for motor car
races, but sometimes a series Of lash races
may be arranged.
A competition to bring out the hardness
OF the drivers at backing, turning and
encircLing posts Is the easiest to run on
and most often seen at h gymkhanas.
A parade OF decorated automobiles Is very
pretty. The winning car in such a cere-
mony in October seemed a huge white
chrysanthemum, for il was a mass OF the
largest sort Of the flowers.
At Southampton gymkhanas there is
usually q driving competition for women.
the conditions requiring a pair of horses
to a phaeton. Tn drivers a 70 cut
figures on the turf and put their pairs at
speed between narrow passages without
hitting the marking flags.
Annually at the Nassau Country Club.
usually the Saturday before Thanksgiving
Day, what Is called a golf ~gymkhana Il
run on. Novel approaching and putting
matches are arranged, besides special
handicaps OF a t%Opsyturvy order. The
prizes are suggestive Of the holiday season,
for they are sucking pigs ready for the
pan, big turkeys and Capons, braces OF
partridge or quail, mammoth pumpkins,
clumps of celery, a bushel OF apples and
similar tokens.
NThis is a departure from the rigid idea
Of a gymkhana. for by rights some sort
of equestrian sports should be On the
programmes.