New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-18
Produce Of His Farm Near
Richmond Will Pass to
General Public.
AN ARDENT DISCIPLE
OF PREPAREDNESS
Owner of Champion Trotters Be-
lieveS Government Should Con-
duct Breeding Establishment.


who owns moro championship trotters
and PAGERS than any other man and
who ha sbecome interested in racing Of
thoroughbreds recently, having pus-
chased, in partnership with Frederick
Johnson, a dozen head of English year
lings. which reached this country on
Wednesday and are now CHARTERED at
Belmont Park.
Mr.. Billings early love was the har-
ness horse, and he has a very remarka-
bic breeding stud at Curles Neck Farm.
fourteen miles from Richmond, Va,
where the champion trotting stallion OF
the world, The aHrvester. with = rec
ord Of 2:01, holds court over q price
less collection of trotting dams, many
with records of better than 2:lO, and
having as its bright particular star
Lou Dillon. :5S -, the fastest mare
in the world.
The produce Of this stud Is marketed
IN the fall; the animals are weaned IN
an absolutely unframed condition. IL
is Mr.. Billings's plan to have the OPP
portunity for obtaining a world beator
open 10 everybody, and when the
youngsters go into the ring they are
sold on their breeding and individual.
ity, coupled with whatever quality OF
action they may possess naturally.
In discussing this plan recently the
distingui he'd horseman said: Il start
ed the farm chiefly as diversion, and
if ! succeed in breeding good horses l
shall be tremendously gratifed. II has
been my endeavor 10 start right. Inc
Harvester has all that sire should
have size. speed, conformation, dispo-
sition and breeding and the mares
that have been mated with him are my
idea of what trotting dams should be.
In having their produce pass 70 the
people at large | aim to benefit the
community. If anything sensational
develops can buy the same as anybody
else after they are trained"
Like many other Americans OF great
affairs, MIR. Billings Is an ardent disci-
ple Of the gospel ofpreparedness and
thinks that no matter engaging the at
tention of the people of the United
States at the present time surpasses
il in Importance. No part of the pol
icy in his estimation outweighs that
which has to do with the horsing and
the equipping of the gun and transport
service. Speaking in this connection
few days ago, he said:
at is imperative that the work OF
breeding horses for the army should be
in the most competent hands possible
The governments own experiments
which have been limited because Of in
sufficient appropriation, should be
broadened money should not be q con
sideration at this time and the work
| should be carried on under the control
and direction of the army, which should
be competent 10 pass on the needs OF
the service much better than a com
mission of outsiders oftentimes not IN
sympathy with the movement. Wash
ington is ideally situated for the prose
cution of the work, as IL Is IN section
Astounding in land that would be SUIT
/ able for the purpose. There are regions
in Virginia, with its rich, rolling past
ures and spring water, that should pro,
duce as sound and well furnished
horses as any district in the United
States"
/ How do you regard the thorough
/ bred as n sire In this connection Z! Dir
/ Billings was asked
1.-THE thoroughbred sire OF proper
/ type is the horse par excellence foi
/ this work. in the estimation Of Con
I tinental authorities, whose success mas
made their accomplishment a standard
for other countries. Mated with the
right kind of mares, and personally
prefer the trotter, they should give
satisfaction in majority Of cases
Where the sire Is of the high strung
excitable type discretion in the selec
ton of mares should be used. ! am OF
the opinion, however, that many Of oul
thoroughbreds are made nervous an
eXcitablc through faulty education.
"The policy pursued by many train
ers is. to my mind, wrong. Some
trainers keep horses hidden away
There must be no noise lest the am
NAL become irritable. To my way OF
thinking. the system prevailing IN trot
ting horse stables is infinitely better
There each horse has his own groom
or 'swipe.' and the animals educatioi
is broader because of the close human
conpanionship. | believe # the thor
oughbred was handled from his birth
in the same intimate ashton as the trot
ter we would have better behave.
horses in the paddock and at the bar.
rier and our racing would be benentec
tremendously. There would be fewer
bad actors and kickers and the per
centage Of crippled horses would be re-
/ duced 10 a minimum.
"Russia does these things WE'LL con
tinued Mr.. Billings. "ln that countr'
the favorite hitch il the troika- tire,
horses abreast usually two mares and
a stallion. the entire horse in the mid
die of the team. There is no noise, no
/ fuss, either during the breeding seas on
or al other times. Stations and mares
are worked in the double teams every
where. Geldings are few. and the knlie
f is never used on good horse. Mhen
we took Uhlan 20 Moscow ana ~
4 Petersburg the authorities were amazed
20 find him gelding, and one hign
dignitary asked in thunderous tones
/ who was responsible for the unseXine
Of the king Of trotters. The trolKa
which they presented 20 ne on that oc-
casion consisted OF stallion and two
mares, and they were representative OF
the country both as TO disposition and
gait" -
"Do you think the people OF The
United States ~ large appreciate th'
importance OF the horse and what NJ
means 20 the community = Mr. bliiing'
was asked.
81 do not" was the response after
moments deliberation, but ! believe
we are on the eve OF siauus' ~"
ing. The horse shows ana sha'eui
racing are giving a world OF nelp
+ Thoroughbred and half-thoroughorec
hunters and saddle horses are oecom'
/ ing more and more in demand IN large
centres OF population where the leisure
class must be catered TO. thus furnish
ing market for the products OF horse
breeding communities. The people ~
l. ss.fss At
the benefits Of racing as exemplified
in the thoroughbred and his products
The amateur race meets, such as Piping
Rock. are bringing into the sport men
who would probably have been less
/ bean u,d., 1tgasay, rfrcur, stancasH