Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-10-28
NEW YORK HORSE SHOW.
Its Early Days in the Old Madison
Square Garden.

A little less than 50 years ago the on
ly horse shows held in this country were
those in connection with county fairs
and they attracted some entries from
horse lovers and some from farmers.
but these entries were few and the
quality of the horses poor compared with
today In 1888 the first real horse show
was held in this city, in the old Madison
Square Garden, then known as Gilmore's
Garden. which was formerly the depot
of the New York, New Haven & Hart
ford Railroad Company. This first show
was opened on October - and lasted
five days. 1t was a success. 1t took the
popular fancy at once. and ii grew Won
derfully. soon outgrowing the old Gar
den, so those who organized the National
Horse Show Association of AmeicaY also
organized the company which erected
the present Garden, the best show build
ing in this city.
The first show was for horses, ponies.
mules, and donkeys, according to the
programme, and the total number of
animals entered was 40. and as many of
these We're shown in several classes the
total entries reached 700 That was a
good beginning. and some of the best
known horses of. the country were
shown. Cornelius Fellowes was the pres
ident of this new association, John G.
Heckscher was vice-president, and
among others who helped to make the
show successful and who lived to see it
grow were A. Wright Sanford, A. J. Cas-
sett, William T. Scott, I'll H. HOLSTER,
w. T. Wharton. Lawrence Kip, II. |.
Nicholas, and Beverley Robinson. These
haxs n of tifat al nd
there are still left E. d. Morgan, G. p.
Wetmore, j. d. Cheever, and James T.
Hyde, who is still the secretary of the
Association.
The old Garden was a queer place for
a show The seats were uncomfortable.
Big wooden supports for the roof pre-
vented q good view of the ring, and not
many could get into the place when the
centre was occupied with the ring. Stalls
were around the ring in front of the
boxes, and visitors could see the horses,
watch their grooms work with them,
seats in the boxes
An addition was also built in Twenty
seventh Street, occupying half the street,
where many of the horses We're kept.
The men who showed in those days We're.
horse lovers, and each class filled well.
In the Thoroughbred classes the first
year were A. J. Cassatt's Stratford, by
bennington; James r. Keene's spend
thrift, by Australian e. V. Snedeker's
Duchess, +. A. Schermerhorn's Spirit,
and others well known to racegoers in
those days In the classes for trotters
were horses owned by r. W. Leonard,
Frederick Akers, Edwin Thorne who
won with ThornedaIe; Thomas Kilpat-
rick, John c. de La Vergne, George
Betchtel, William Rockefeller, Col. Law
renee Kip, Dan Mace, John W. Dexter
These men all owned trotters that were
known on the speedway, which in those
days was on Jerome Avenue, and they
drove in races at old Fleetwood Park
Col. Kip in the first show won very
highly commended ribbon. Tt was only
the beginning, and before many years
he won regularly each year all the best
prizes with his roadsters.
At that show much attention was paid
to a'horses of all work. and Clydesdales,
Percherons and heavy draft horses
proved big attractions, but nowadays,
,wners of these fine animals, for some
reason, do not care to take the trouble
to exhibit them. f. d. Morgan, A. b.
Darling. w. S Gurnee, Edward Kearney,
r. GRAY Griswold, w. p. Douglass,
Adolph Iadenburg, and Prescott Law
renee showed horses in what are known
now as harness classes. w. P. Douglass
showed a four-in-hand and Won, and
Hugo Fritsch. weilskrown coaching