Evening star., 1909-03-09

Will Probably Make Known
Hunt Club Dates.

| BALTIMORE, Md, March 3.-There viii
| be an important meeting in Now York
today Of a committee of nine, six from
the hunt clubs and three from the Ma
tional Steeplechase and Hunt Associa-
| ton. This committee OF nine is now ir
conutrol OF hunt racing in the east and II
| is probable that dates will be announced
| for the various meetings planned by the
| hunt clubs this year. Three meetings
are to be held here this year. two by the
United Hunts of Maryland and the other
by the Green Spring Valley Steeplechast
| Association Of Maryland. and ii is likely
| that these meetings will be sanctioned
today.
The United Hunts Is now making ar
rangements to hold a two-day meeting
the last week in May and four-day
meeting the first week of September. The
Green Spring Valley Association will hold
a one-day meeting on July in Green
Spring Valley. The meets of the Green
Spring Valley Association are generally
successful affairs and prove big social
events, not only Baltimore and the valley
turning out in strong numbers, but well
known society people Of Washington.
Philadelphia and New York come to this
city. and many we'll known gentlemen
riders of these cities are usually seen In
the saddle.
1t seems that since the new committee
was appointed the National Steeplechase
and Hunt Association and the United
Hunts have been working together to put
racing in America back on the same high
plane it occupied before the sport almost
degenerated into a mere gambling insti-
tuition.
To Improve Racing.
Months ago Mr.. August Belmont of
ISOLATION sent out a curcular to the hunt
clubs OF the country, asking for their
cooperation and admitting that the help
of the real sportsmen and not Of the
sports was needed IL racing was to be
continued at all in this country.
The circular did not meet with any
amount of enthusiasm on the part OF tho
hunt men, who, for some years. have had
no liking for Mr. Belmont and his broth
er-in-law, s. s. Howland, the secretary
OF the National Steeplechase and Hunt
Association. That organiza ton has prac-
ticaly ignored the amateur sportsmen
except to force racing rules upon them
and to require that at every amateur
meeting the hunt club In charge pay a
steward sent there by the Jockey Club
500 day. In many Instances no gate
fees are charged at the small meetings,
and seldom when such fee was ex-
acted did the receipts OF the day come
up to the s1O0 which had to be paid to
the steward.
Thirty-one OF the for:y-three hunt clubs
sent representatives. most of them being
masters OF fOxhounds Of the clubs, 10
New York to confer with Mr.. Belmont.
and a stormy meeting followed, at which
many Of the clubs expressed willing
ness TO break away from the National
Steeplechase and Hunt Association. FL
nally committee of five was appointed
to arrange plans for bettering the sport
I'm this country, and to work with the
Jockey Club to the end that the hunt
clubs be given better representation on
the National Association.
Representative Men.
These five men were Westmoreland Da-
Wis. representing thirteen hunt clubs in
Virginia: Spencer Harper Of New York,
representing the New York hunt clubs +;
Charles Pfizer of New Jersey A. Dever-
Stewart of Maryland, master of fox
hounds Of the Green Spring Valley Hunt
and one of the judges OF the last New
York horse show.
The committee could not agree on some
of the things which should be done. and
minority and majority reports were is
sued which caused some confusion. Later
the five got together in private meeting
in Mr.. Belmcnt's office. and 1t was finally
decided to work together with the Jockey
Club and the National Steeplechase and
Hunt Association in the interests Of
cleaner sports. Many of the greatest
steeplechase horses in America come from
the ranks of the hunters. When Harry
Smith, ma ster of hounds OF the Worcester
Hunt Club. and the present master Of
the Loudoun Hunt, at Leesburg Va, won
the champion sheeplechase at Morris
t. l. IL