The New York herald., 1920-01-25
RACE FOR HORSES
OF CAVALRY TYPE
Amateurs Will Subscribe $500
Each to Fund for Their
Purchase.
WILL THEN DRAW LOTS
National Steeplechase Association Ar
ranging Sweepstake Suggested
by H. A. Bourne.
WILL THEN DRAW LOTS

AS a result Of the meeting of steeple-
chase and hunt racing men held recently
at the Commodore Hotel a series of sport
ing races for horses OF the army type will
probably be arranged this season under
the supervision of the National Steeple-
chase and Hunt Association. The sug-
gestion comes from H. A. Bourne, one Of
Jersey, who now hunts with the Essex
Foxhounds. In a letter to the committee
appointed at the meeting Mr.. Bourne
says
Nothing has been done since my con-
nection with the sport that has stimu-
lated amateur riding and racing SO much
as the Piping Rock Subscription Pony
Race. I would suggest that your commit
tee arrange and draw up conditions i'm
mediately for a similar subscription race,
making it for horses of the army type;
have the subscriptions $500. 500 of which
purchases the horse and 500 goes to the
tpurses.
I'm buying these horses ] would sug-
gest that whoever is entrusted with the
purchase should buy half-bred horses If
possible. AS stated al the meeting, great
many men that are interested in hunting
and racing have been In the Remount
Service 1t seems to me that they must
be in touch with numerous ranches
Throughout the West where thoroughbred
stations have beeen used, and it would
not be difficult to get the required num-
Der of horses that were known to be at
least half-bred.
Il would run this race in two sections.
Have the first one decided next autumn.
the same to be on the rat at distance
of not less than one mile and half, and
the weight not less than ITS pounds the
second to be run in the spring Of 1921. this
to be n steeplechase, with the same weigh.
up and at a distance to be decided by the
committee.
There will be ample time to school
these horses between the time they are
assigned and the following spring. The
high weight would enable a number OF
heavyweight riders to compete, and / be-
lieve would get a good many new people
interested in the sport. I think that the
conditions of this race should be sent to
every hunt club throughout the country
and subscriptions asked for at once.
''If anything is done il should be done
Immediately. If this could be put under
way within the next thirty days the
horses could be gotten together drawn for
by lot at some public place, and new inter
est in amateur racing would be created.
ut seems to me that there would be
no trouble in getting from thirty to fifty
ST Inscriptions of this kind. which would
assure the success of the project.
1.-THE Hunts Committee could assign this
race to the hunt club that has the most
suitable place to hold il. and l have no
doubt that whatever club vas fortunate
enough to secure il would be willing to
add substantial amount to the purse, SO
that suitable trophies could be bought or
the added money divided as seemed best.
Not only would the race itself be an
attraction, but it would supply enough
horses to make a class large enough so
that every association giving a race meet
ing would undoubtedly be glad to give a
race for thern.'
tional Steeplechase and Hunt Association,
said yesterday tho suggestion OF Mr..
Bourne had already received the approval
of the Commodore Committee and is sure
to be indorsed Mt the next meeting OF the
Hunts Com:1ittee OF the y. 8. II. A. He
Thinks there will be no difficulty about
finding fifty or more subscribers to the
races.
with fifty subscriptions the race fund
would amount to $4,000, and this might be
Increased by providing for an additiona!
fee from starters. In developing the horses
IL might be possible also to arrange sew
eral local races for those owned in neigh
borhoods where hunt meetings are to be
held this coming sea son, thus increasing
their earning capacity as well as the
interest in the later main races.