Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-18
NEW STOCK FOR BILLINGS
NOTED HORSEMAN TO TRY
HAND AT THOROUGHBREDS
Firm Believer IN Prcpnredncss-Brced
ing of Horses for Army Should
lie In Competent Hands.

and PAGERS than any other man and
who has become Interested in racing OF
thoroughbrcdS recently. having pur-
chased. in partnership with Frederick
Johnson a dozen head OF English
ycarlings. which reached this country
on Wednesday and are now quartcred
at Belmont Park.
Mr. Billings's early love WAS the har
ness horse, and he, has n very remark
able breeding stud at Curle's Neck
Farm, fourteen miles from Richmond.
where the champion trotting stallion
or the world. The Harvester. with "A
record OF POI, holds court over
priceless collection Of trotting dams.
many with records Of better than 21O.
and having as It's bright particular star
Lou Dillon. l.5S l-2. the tastes; more
In the world. The produce OF this
stud liz marketed IN the fall; they arc
wcancd in al absolutely unframed
condition II is Mr. Billinps's plan
to have the opportunity for obtaining
n world better opeE to everybody, ana
when the Youngsters go into the ring
they are sold on their breeding ana
individuality. coupled with whatever
quality of action they may possess
naturally.
In discussing this plan recently the
dist!uguishc horscman SAID: Il started
the farm chiefly as Il diversion. and II
succeed in breeding, good horses shall
be tremendously uratiiicd Il has been
my cudeavor to start right. The liar-
vestcr has all that "a sire should have
size speed. conformation, disposition
and brccding-ani the mares that
have been mated with MIN are nv idea
Of what trotting dams should be. In
having their produce pass 10 the pco'
pie al largo l aim TO benefit the com
munity. II anything sensational de-
velops ] can bug the same as anybody
.lC ns H.r trained -
HAS GROWING FoNDNESS
FOR FULL. BLOOD STOCK
While Mr. Billings takes much pleas
ure with the champion Uhian, Los,
which he both rides ana drives. and has
UP 10 the present used trottcrs cXc!u-
sivcly under saddle, he confcSscs 10 n
growing tondness for horses OF pure
HOOD This IS most encouraging 20
mis- associates In the Jockey Club who
know that ne will bring To their de-
alterations q wealth of knowledge in
connection with the horse family 1T
large.
Like many other Americans OF great
affairs. Mr.. Billings is an ardent discl-
pie of the gospel of Preparedness ana
thinks that no matter engaging the
attention OF the people OF the United
states at the present time suFpaSscs
IL in Importance. No part OF the policy
in his estimation outwclEhs that which
has TO do with the hoEs!ng OF cavalry
and the eQu!pping OF the gun and
transport service. Speaking in this
connection few daSs ago, he said:
1T is imperative that the work OF
breeding horses for the army shout!
be In the most competent hands pos
s!b!c The governments own expert
mcnts, which have been limited be-
cause Of insufficient appropriation.
should be hroadened-moDey should not
be- a consideration at this ttmc-and
l.. -f.,t To-
the control and direction of the army
which should be competent TO pass
on the needs OF the service much bet
ter than commission OF outsiders
oftentimcs not in sympathy with the
movement. Washington is ideally
situated for the prosecution OF the work
as IL Is in n section ahounding in land
that would he suitable for the purpose.
There are regions In Virginia with its
rich rolling pastures and spring water
that should produce as sound and we'll
furnished horses as any district In the
United States"
How do you regard the thorough
bred as n sire in this connections"
Mr. Billings was asked.
THOROUGHBRED SIRES ARE
SHOWN TO DE SUCCESS
The thoroughbred sire OF proper
type is the horse par excellence for
this work IN the estimation Of cont-
mental authorities whose success has
made their accomplishment n stan
dard for other countries. Mated with
the right kind of mares and personally
prefer the trottcr, they should give
satisfaction In :; majority OF cases.
Where the sire is of the high strung.
excitable type discretion In the selcc-
ton OF mares should be used. ! am
Of the opinion. however. that many OF
our thoroughbrcds are made nervous
and cXc!table through faulty education.
The policy pursued by many trainers
keep horses hidden away. There must
be no horse ddden away. There must
be no noise lest the animal become
irritable To my way OF thinking the
system prevailing in trotting horse
stables Is infinitely better. There each
horse has his own groom or "swipe"
and the animals education is broader
because OF the close human compan-
ionship I believe If the thoroughbred
was handled from his birth in the same
intimate fashion as the trottcr we
would have better behaved horses in
the paddock and at the barrier and
our racing would be benefited tremen-
dously There would he fewer bad
actors and kickers and tho percentage
OF crippled horses would be reduced
to n minimum.
Russia does these things WE'LL con-
tnucd Mr. Billings. I'm that country
the favorite hitch is the troika-three
horses abrcast-usually two mares ana
n stallion, the entire horse in the mid
die of the team. There is no noise,
no fuss either during the breeding
season or at other times. Stations and
mares are worked In the double teams
everywhere. Gcldings are few and
the knife is never used on a good
horse. When we took Uhlan to Moscow
and ST. Petersburg the authorities were
amazed to find him gclding, and one
high dignitary asked in thunderous
tones WHO was responsible for the UNI
sexing of the king OF trotters' The
troika which they presented to nc on
that occasion consisted of sallion
and two mares, and they were .'epre-
sentative of the country both as to
disposition and gait"
PEOPLE OF COUNTRY DO
NOT APPRECIATE HORSE
"Do you think the people of the
IInitad Stntea ut larrn annrnciata Tho