The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-11
The old Colonial residence at Curles Neck Farm.
Something About the Man Who Is
Considered the Best All Round
Amateur Horseman of Our
Times and His Horses

Unlan and other Billings champions
when they made their best records
Bertha Mac. 2:0s: Charley Mac. 2:O7,
a leviathan, seventeen hands high. but
gated like a pony" to quote his for
mer owner. and Wilmering. 2:l2L. "A
magnificent stallion. by Boreal. which
was presented to the United States
and is now in one of the Government
studs in Colorado string carriage
horses.
Mr.. Billings was very fond Of Will
mering n says he was MS nearly
perfect as any stallion could we'll be
under the saddle. hut 1t Is of Uhlan
that he axe enthusiastic. In
talking with a representative OF THE
Sun about this horse a few days ago
he said:
You know I have driven Uhlan a
mile to WACO in two minutes and n
half mile in 56h4 seconds, the wagon
and myself weighing 300 pounds. Now
consider the marvellous feat Of riding
him an eighth of a mile in Is seconds.
which ! did at Curles Neck Farm last
fall. with Ed Upton and others holding
the watches. On that occasion the
horse carried 1921 pounds. which is
almost fifty pounds overweight. ac-
cording to the regulations. which call
for las pounds. l weighed with the
saddle and bride. which were OF the
ordinary English variety. To show
you that the performance was no fiuke
II had already ridden him an eighth
in 1914 q over the grass or turf
course NJ Saratoga las summer. when
william Garth. the well known turf
man of Virginia. was one of the timers,
and once at Lexington in the presence
of IA great many spectators he trotted
the same distance in 1874 seconds
Taking into consideration h fact
that | took only about 100 feet to get
under a and the great weight car
ried I have always been curious to
see how far a thoroughbred would
beat Chlan similarly rugged"
Shades Of Great Eastern. 2:15%.
DE- Xter with a record OF 2:ls that way
rugged, and all the other performers
under saddle forty years ago. Such
dazzling speed is enough to make
Johnny Murphy. Dan Mace, Whelpley
and all the other great riders Of trot-
ters in those da"s turn over in their
graves.
Asked how it felt to travel at this
unparalleled rate Of speed on the back
Of a trotter Mr.. Billings replied:
Fine. At first was afraid that he
might tip over, but his action is S o
pure that there was no sense Of jar
ring or conclusion. uhlan simply
floats when at the top Of his speed"
How was he equipped when you
rode him in 10 seconds for the fur
long, Mr.. Billings was asked.
HE wore only a plain bride with
an ordinary snaffie." was the reply.
mo martingales and only a pair Of
snug fitting quarter boots for protec-
ton. The saddle was of the usual
English hunting type"
You trotting horse enthusiasts who
were wont to marvel at three heats in
2:lO or better or a quarter in 80 sec
onds, figure the rate Of speed attained
by Uhlan under saddle. The mile In
l:44 would appear to be correct, or just
10 seconds faster than DR.. George w.
Bailey of Maine was willing TO wager
his worldly possessions a quarter OF a
century ago that no horse, mare or
geldlng trotter would ever approach.
Two pictures of his marvellous
trotter are herewith presented. The
one in motion was made when the
champion was in the height of train
ing and he Is attaining some such
flight as Is recorded above when 1t was
taken. The other photograph was
made when the champion had talker
on some additional flesh. and surely II
fills the eyes and must gladden. the
heart of every lover Of a good horse
Those who are familiar with the horse
say il Is probably the best picture
Of the champion and his owner In
existence. Those who have maintained
that the trotter does not possess sum
cIent length of rein to make him
desirable saddle horse can find M
fault with Uhlan in this respect, while
his shoulder is unusually well placed
for saddle purposes. Intelligence OF
the highest order is betokened by thu
beautiful head with its we'll placed,
tapering ears. II would he difficul'
to conceive of n better balanced horse
than Uhlan, as he stands 1874 hands
and weighs 1870 pounds in his present
condition. When making records fol
generations to marvel at he tipped
the beam at 1915 pounds and every
ounce OF II was so much whalebonf
and ivory encased In a black satin
skin.
Foaled the property of Arthur
Parker Of Massachusetts in 1905, the
gelding passed to Charles Saunders
OF Boston, from whom Mr.. Billings
secured him for a reported price oil
81 5000. lie was sired by Bingen
2:06A. and his dam was Blondella by
Sir Walter, Jr.. a grandson of Aber'