Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1912-08-23
ROUNDUP OF MORGAN
BREED.
Wealthy New Workers Pushing
Famous Vermont Horse at
State Fair

AVi 70 VI lHe MOTBdH Nurse CluD anu the
cooperation of the Vermont State fair
commission there is going to be round
up of Morgan horses at White River
Junction in September which promises
to surpass anything seen in the last 40
years in the Green Mountain State.
The club, which is made up largely Of
wealthy New York horse fanciers, was
formed about three years ago to save
the Morgan horse from extinction and
to restore the ancient Morgan type,
which had almost disappeared during
the craze for speed in all harness horses
in this country generation ago. I'm
like many of the breeders organiza-
tons in the United States, it is in no
sense commercial enterprise, and in
stead of paying dividends the clubs and
its members contribute premiums for
the encouragement of small breeders
who are striving to restore and perfect
the Morgan type. Henry S. Wardner
is the president; c. G. Stillman the Sec
rotary, and Maxwell Evarts, H. R. C.
Watson, c. X. G. Billings, H. C. Mer-
lam, j. Rich Steers and others the board
of governors.
1t is really remarkable how the de-
scendands of that little 14-hand stallion
brought by Justin Morgan to Ran
dolph, VT, more than 120 years ago
have enlisted in their behalf the efforts
of people of all walks of life to preserve
from extinction that useful breed of
horses, which has played. 30 large a
part in the history of Vermont. No less
than "a classes, with $1,000 in money
and six cups, are to be offered this year
for Morgans by the State fair commits
sion, by the Morgan Horse club and by
individuals. Beside these classes are
the Morgan Futurity stake and Maxwell
Evarts's $50 challenge on the Morgan
mare Thunder Cloud (13.3 hands) in the
15-mile driving race.
MoRGANS UNDER SADDLE.
Conspicuous among the new prizes is
the offer of C. X. G. Billings, one of the
governors of the Morgan Horse club.
Last year Mr.. Billings, who had gener-
ously brought to White River Junction
his famous trotter Uhlan, l :58 ga,
studied with care the Morgan exhibits.
He became satisfied that it would be
wise to give greater encouragement to
the development of the Margins as
saddle horses. At a dinner given by
H. R. G. Watson of Brandon, VT, in
New York during the last National
Horse Show Mr.. Billings made an ad-
dress on this subject and expressed the
intention of offering a cup for Morgans
under saddle at the Vermont State fair.
This intention he has carried out His
conditions are interesting. He requires
that the horses shall be able to carry
the weight expected of horses in the
United States cavalry and that they
shall be judged by cavalry officer of
the regular army.
That the Morgans can meet the re-
quirements no one who knows the rec
ord of the Morgans in the Civil War
will doubt. 1t is hoped that the own
ers of Morgans will take the trouble
to give their horses saddle practice
and will provide riders who know how
to ride. The class is open to stations,
mares and geldings. Among the gen.
eral run of horses it takes an animal
of pretty good height to have the sub
stance sufficient for carrying consid-
cradle weight. Some riders, however,
would much prefer the small horse if
it only had the substance for doing the
work. The Morgans, with their short
legs and their traditional stoutness of
build, present the possibility of a
horse that will carry good sized man
without having to be l6 hands tall to
do it. This idea was in Mr.. Billings s
mind when he provided his special
Morgan class at White River Junction.
PRIZES FOR COMBINATION.
Charles A. Stone of Boston offers
prizes for combination horses. They
are to be shown both in harness and
under saddle and judged for manners,
action, quality and conformation to the
ancient Morgan type. These latter
requirements follow the familiar for
mulo in use for several years at the
Vermont State fair and are believed
to be largely responsible for the in
creasing uniformity in type in the
Morgan exhibits at White River juno
ton. Mr.. Stones class is entirely
practical; there is certainly market
for the small, shapely and docile Nor
gan as an all around utility horse that
will also answer for women and chill
dren to drive and ride. H. r. C. Wat
sons two saddle classes, offered in the
name of the Morgan Horse club, are
repetitions of his offers of the last
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