Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-06-19
TESTS OF
ITALIAN ARMY
EXCELLENT

Officers of the mounted regiments
of the American army, who have rid
den in the Russian ride, the riding
test introduced into the American
Service two years ago, are interested
in the annual cavalry competition of
the italian army, which is held every
spring near Rome under the auspices
of the. famous military riding school
of Tor di Quinto. This school is rat
ed by foreign officers as being super
ior to the French school at 'Sdumur
or its nearest rivel, the school at Han
over. The America mounted school
modelled after the French school in
methods Is entirely school for Off
GERS as far as the purely equestrian
portion of the course is concerned,
but in the foreign schools. notably the
Italian, the training of selected nom
commissioned officers and privates
has established high degree of eff
cheney among the rank and file. The
rconcorso ippico militare" as, the an
nual competition lis called is partici-
pated in by all grades. A subaltern
officer, a norl-commissiOned officer.
Una FIVE PfiEates nom each eof the
twcnty-nine regiments of Italian cav
airy are selected to take part in this
yearly competition and try to win for
their regiment the kings challenge
cup or one of the six silver shields Of
fered to the best regiments and held
by them for year.
This competition is a comparatively
recent institution. 1t was established
about six or seven years ago when the
cavalry training was thoroughly reor-
ganized in Italy, and it constitutes an
annual public examination of effici-
ency in the Italian cavalry. The COM
mander of each cavalry regiment must
hold preliminary trials during the year
in order to select the best officer and
the best six men to represent the. reg
iment at the annual competition at
Tor di Quinto The unit from each
regiment must be mounted on the reg
ulation cavalry chargers, which are
generally cross-breeds, although some
regiments have recently been supplied
with Sandman horses. Officers COM
manding units are, however, permit
ted to ride their spare chargers which
rs rule are English thoroughbreds.
-Four days before the competition
begins, all the units. in full war equip
ment, assemble at various points
around Rome situated exactly 1876
miles from the city. 1t is immaterial
how the units cover the distances be-
tween their garrisons and the start
ing points, provided they assemble
four days ahead of the competition at
points the required distance from the
capital. As rule the cavalry regi-
ments stationed in northern Italy, in
the extreme south and in Sicily send
their units and mounts by train to
the starting points. Those regiments
stationed In or near Rome ride out
and await the arrival of the other
units until the order is given to start
for Rome. The endurance test then
begins.
All the units start separately to-
wards Rome and are expected to
cover the entire distance of 1876 miles
in four days. The commanding off.
Ger of each unit must make allowance
for bad roads and bad weather and
arrive with his men and horses not
only within the time limit but also In
good condition. Each unit upon ar
rival is inspected by the judges of the
competition, among whom are includ-
ed veterinary officers, who thoroughly
examine the horses and disqualify any
that are not in an excellent condition
or who show greater exhaustion than
they would under campaign condi-
tions or who seem unlikely to be able
to meet the tests to follow the endur-
ance ride. The units then take two
full days rest and on the morning of
the third they must be ready to go
through two hard tests of endurance,
speed and jumping.
In the forenoon each unit must cover
nineteen miles over cross-country
course including broken ground, steep
inclines which they must both climb
and slide down, and natural objects
such as fences, banks, wall and gates.
This distance must be covered by each
unit in not more than three hours and
half, On the afternoon of this same
Jay the units must run a steeplechase
over 21S1 yard course with the reg
ulation ten obstacles These two
tests take place irrespective of
weather conditions. The troopers,