New-York tribune., 1914-12-08
Regular Army Mounts
Bow to Militia at Char
ity Show in Garden.
SOCIETY BRAVES
RAIN FOR EVENT
ColorS of Red and White Cross
Adorn Big Amphitheatre, Filled
with Biue RibbOners.
BY FRED HAWTHORNE.


Gray clouds and binding rain, rain
that seemed the plying tribute Of the
heavens for the war-stricken of Bel
gums battlefelds, greeted the open
ing Of the Horse Show at Madison
Square Garden yesterday, for the bene-
fit Of the Red and White Cross So
cieties.
Only a hardy few Of the charitably
inclined braved the murk and the dis
comfort Of the city streets 10 visit
the Garden in the morning. In the
afternoon, however. the great building
welcomed about 5000 persons.
The large amphitheatre was arrayed
in the vestments of the Red and White
Cross societies. The great iron girders
near the roof were hidden under folds
of soft gray bunting, except over the
centre of the show ring, where an i'm
mense American flag shut out the light
that filtered through the skylights.
Fair maids. arrayed in the garments
Of the nurses on the Belgian battle
fields, filtered here and there about
the promenade. From their shoulders,
suspended by scarlet bands of silk,
hung baskets of sweets to be sold.
The Rosa Bonheur "Horse Fair" q
living representation Of the painting
by the famous French woman painter
of horses, which was 10 have been the
feature of the afternoon, had 20 be
cancelled because Of the weather con-
ditions. Fiss, Doerr e. Carroll, from
whose stables 200 great Percherons and
similar breeds of draft horses were to
be led to the garden to pose for the
picture, would not trust the animals
70 the slippery streets, and the exhi-
a. g.lr Ill lot IN a
week.
The interesting event of the day
was the appearance at the Fourth av.
competitors for the army challenge cup,
who had ridden in full equipment from
the Van Cortlandt Park Headquarters
of Squadron A, National Guard, to the
Garden.
This competition was open TO officers
of the regular army and members of
the national guard, with a minimum
weight,carried of 250 pounds. The dis
tance is about twelve miles, and under
the wretched conditions was true
test for riders and horses alike.
The start was made from Van Cort-
landt Park at . o'clock, with a mini
mum time allowance of an hour and
half Fify-fve minutes after the
start there was clatter OF hoofs out
side the Garden doors, and when they
were thrown open Corporal A. 5. Blod-
Cett, of Squadron A, astride the hand
some black gelding Aeroplane, dashed
into the arena.
Water ran in streams from his pom
cho and little rivulets chased them
selves down Aeroplane's heaving flanks.
Hardly had Blodgett acknowledged the
burst of applause from the spectators
than again the doors were flung wide
and First Sergeant Arthur Hoffman, OF
Battery d, 1st Field Artillery, y. &.
n. Y, riding General Steuben, a shape
ly brown gelding from the Golden
Pansy Farms Company, Inc, rode thrice
around the arena. Then came in order
Sergeant George Swan, of Battery A,
Ist Field Artillery. on The Cat, also
from the Golden Pansy Farms, and
Lieutenant T. Harry stanton, of the
o9th Regiment. y. G. n. Y, on Irwin.
II was notable showing on the part
OF me guard officers, who were the only
four TO finish the gruelling ride, out
Of six starters Two officers from the
regular army Lieutenant George II.
Brett, I'd Caval-y, and Colonel w. P.
Nicholson, of the same command-were
entered, but did not start. The only
other representative of the regulars,
Captain J. II. Burroughs, I'd Cavalry,
started out on Swastika, but soon gave
up the ordeal II was a disappointing
showing By the regulars. General AL
bert A. Mills, L. S. A., was the judge
in this event.
If the I'd Cavalry failed to make
much OF showing in the service ride,
1t raised a storm of applause and patri-
otic cheering by the exhibition sabre
drill and rough riding Immediately af-
ter the former event.
These troopers, 1.-THE, lean men from
Fort Ethan Allen, Vermont, under the
command Of Lieutenant George Brett,
went through a dazzling sabre drill in
the arena, to the strains of melody