The New York herald., 1921-08-14
NEWS AND VIEWS
OF HORSE SHOWS
Fairs Alone in Position to
Greatly Increase Prizes for
Harness Horses


for the harness horse In last Sundays
HERALD occasioned much comment in
horse show circles. His exposition of
the need for larger prizes In harness
classes was convincing When the rela-
tive cost OF showing a Jumper and
high stopper is set forth 1t must be ad-
mitted that the latter class OF horses
now receives very much more liberal
treatment than the former at the hands
OF horse show managers. Prizes are
usually about the same for both classes
OF horses, whereas the expense OF show
ing them is as one to five II not more
in favor of the jumpers. Mr. Walsh
maintains that the value of the prize
should be In keeping with the cost of
the exhibit. There is force in the argu-
ment. which If accepted in practice
would put the prizes for harness horses
up TO 500 each when the jumpers re-
ceived s25 or less.
Mr. Walshs assertion that the blame
for the dearth of harness horse exhibits
lies wholly with the horse show man
ayers will hardly stand examination.
That some of the larger fairs which
hold horse shows TO entertain the vast
crowds attending them could afford to
give prizes OF $3.50 or 500 for four-in-
hands with proportionateiy large sums
for pairs and singles is perhaps true.
but there is not a straight out horse
show in the country that could make
both ends meet II its management at
tempted such a thing without asking
exhibitors to pay much higher entrance
fees than at present Ninety per cent.
of the horse shows are conducted with
out any purpose Of profit, or even COM
pensation for most of the officials who
give their time to the enterprise. Many
l.,f 1lA yh
often than u surplus at the end Of the
| season, and are kept going only because
| the promoters love the sport.
| Apropos of larger prizes for the show
horses. entries will close tomorrow for
/ the seven purses and stakes recently
opened by the National Horse Show
Association for its annual exhibition
4 next November. These unexalnpled
prizes. aggregating about $500. will give
good line on the attitude of exhibitors
and will mark either the beginning or
| the end OF an attempt to increase the
earning capacity of harness horses.
saddle horses and hunters. Very few
entries have been received as yet, but
| this is not discouraging, as owners never
send in their nominations until the
| eleventh hour. In these events the
horses need not be named until next
| October. but the nominators must make
good tomorrow their subscriptions OF
S25 each.
| Entries will close next Thursday for
the twenty-fifth Newport Horse Show to
be held on August 29. 30 and 81. Ex-
hihitors from New York and vicinity
are going to ship by water. which as
sures the horses of a cool and COM
Portable nights run. landing them with
! in a few minutes walk of the Casino
show grounds Those who want to see
| the best horse win, regardless Of own
ership, should assure the filling OF the
| always doubtful harness classes at New
| port. Charles +. Williams, who is TO
| be the sole judge. has few equals for
| knowledge. fairness, independence and
| backbone, the four requisites of an ac-
| ceptable official.
| The Long Branch Horse Show, like
| a good many others. seldom passes off
| without a mixup or two relative TO the
| identity OF the ribbon winners. due to
| the lack OF an individual number for
| each horse shown. This year II resulted
in posting the wrong horse as winner
Of the ladies' saddle class, and led TO
| crediting the single harness champion
ship to William du Points Montpelier
.
Dragon Fly In the teegraphic reports
Of the closing days exhibition. Dragon
Fly is going In great form this season
and is just about tnvincible In her class.
Mr. Atkinson Is searching England and
America in hopes of finding a mate for
her to replace The Wasp that was killed
by the explosion of a bomb on the show
grounds at Brockton last season.
The inability Of two or three OF the
invited judges to attend the Rochester
show has necessitated some changes
in the list The saddle classes will
probably be judged by r., Lawrence
Smith and William r. Koch; the hunter
classes by Harry Worcester Smith End
+. A. Bonsal. the harness classes by
Reginald c. Vanderbilt, Hamilton III.
Salmon and George r. Hulme. and the
military classes by Mortimer ID. Bryant
and James s. Wadsworth. Edgar +.
Edwards, the secretary. reports an un-
usual number OF early entries, many Of
them from new exhibitors. The harness
classes. in particular. give promise of
very fine showing when entries close
on August 22 Rochester this year has
several special purses of $500 each. in
Guiding one for harness horses. another
for harness ponies. and another for
saddle horses. while there Is one OF
81, 900 for Jumpers.
Something new In horse shows was
seen In the village of Burley. England
last week, when an exhibition of New
Forest ponies took place in Burley
Manor Park. These ponies have been
cultivated In a semi-wild state in this
district OF Hampshire for centuries. the
records Of the Exchequer showing that
payments were made for their susie
nance as long ago at 1866. From time
TO time well bred stations have been
turned out among them, Marske. the
sire OF Eclipse, being one of them. nc
cording to tradition. Action, soundness
and vigor are their chief character
istlcs Many of the mares haunt the
remote parts Of the forest, and are
neither handled nor fed during their
lifetime. As showing their courage and
strength T. Il. Dale. an authority on
English ponies, tells of having hooked
New Forester about 13 hands high
to load Of mangolds that big cart
horse could not pull out OF mudholc.
and after one or two trials the little
trump dragged the heavy load t. dry
land.
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