Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-04-22
HORSE RACES IN AUSTRALIA
Country Has Proven Turf Events Can
Be Conducted on High Plane and
n-I- O III o...~-I:.z

ma0o SeiI souPPOFtiH9s
Since there is a prospect that racing
in some form may be revived this year
on several Of the New York tracks, It Is
of interest to consider how the sport
may be carried on without the evils
which brought about its cessation In
this state. The experience Of Australia
in the matter Is especially valuable.
Australia and New Zealand, compar-
atively small countries from the stand
point Of population, have shown an
originality amounting to daring In
matters Of social regulation and gov
ernmental control Of things left In
most countries to individual initiative,
and in sport, as In more serious mat
ters, have declined to follow too close
ly In the beaten rut of time-honored
tradition. Those indispensable ad-
juncts Of racing, the numbered saddle
cloth and the starting gate, were first
seen in Australia before they were
adopted throughout the racing world,
while Australian jockeys used the
short stirrup, though not to the exag-
gerated extent made popular by Ted
Sloan, when Isaac Murphy, Fred Taral
and Jimmy Mclaughlin were still rid
ing desperate finishes on American
courses in the old fashioned English
style.
Popular support is accorded in no
half-hearted fashion to all the big
meetings held by the leading clubs in
every one Of the six states that COM
prise the commonwealth.
An outline of the manner In which
the Victoria Racing club Of Melbourne
Is managed, will demonstrate the way a
governing Australian club Is conduct
ed. The v. r. c., as 1t is popularity
known throughout Australia, has a
membership of between three and four
thousand persons. Any reputable citi-
zen may become a member. The an
nual meeting of members Of the club Is
held during the first week in August,
as the racing year in Australia dates
from the first Of that month. The pro-
ceedings that take place at the meet
ing are not always a formality. The
club Is managed by committee OF IL,
elected by ballot to serve without re-
numeration for one year.
A member of the v. r. c. pays an
entrance fee Of $25, with annual dues
of the same amount For this sum a
member gets admission to about twen-
ty days racing, the principal meeting
being four days in the spring, four
days in the autumn, New Years day
and three days in midwinter, when
racing over the jumps Is held at which
the Australian grand national steeple-
chase is run. There is no separate body
England or America. The member Is
also entitled to admission to any spe-
cial meetings that may be held on the
track
The charge for admission to the
grand stand on Australian racecourses
Is $3.50, with an additional fee to the
saddling paddock Of $1.25, at big meet
ings and 60 cents at minor ones. AS
the member goes into the saddling pad
dock also without charge 1t will be
seen that he Is getting his moneys
worth Beside the race course men,
Der has the privilege Of a separate car
riage paddock for his carriage or auto
mobile, a separate dining room, q large
building composed almost entirely OF
glass that resembles a honservator In
its arrangement Of ferns and pot plants
and a small enclosure near the betting
ring occupied mainly as smoking pa
villion. There is no clubhouse or sep
arate stand for members as In Eng
land and other countries.
Betting Is conducted by bookmakers
either for cash or on credit, for which