Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-02-02
Annual Meeting
Maine Agricultural
Fairs Association


held Tuesday in the Municipal court
room at City building. the business
meeting opening at 1880 O'Clock.
There were members present from
the various fairs in the State and
after the regular business session
with election of officers. matters in
regard to the conduct of fairs In the
State were talked over.
The meeting was presided over by
the president, J. f. Guiou of Pressure
Isle. and the following officers were
elected: President J. F. Guiou, Pressure
Isle; treasurer. George w. Westcott Of
Bangor; secretary. r. M. Gilmore OF
Waterville. Legislative committee,
]. F. Guiou, Presque Isle: H. D.
Eaton, Waterville; A. B. Peckham,
Bangor; DIR. A. M. Garcelon. Lewis
ton. Membership committee: R. NJ.
Gilmore, Waterville; J. c. Fuller
Waterville; John C. Gordon, Pittsfield;
Daniel Gilman, Pressure Isle and j.
F. Goodrich, Hartland.
It was voted to hold the next meet
ing in Bangor about February /, 1922,
and make it two-days' meeting. The
committee on arrangements for the
same consisting of A. B. Peckham,
Bangor: J. S. Butler, Lewiston; M. /.
Collins, Gorham; and J. Harry Allen
of New York City were appointed.
A communication was read from
the New England Agricultural Fairs
association asking that the Maine
association become affiliated with the
former. The matter was laid on the
table, but it was later suggested that
it be Investigated with a view of
joining and committee consisting Of
James Butler of Lewiston, chairman;
A. B. Peckham of Bangor and r. M.
Gilmore of Waterville were appointed
for that purpose.
w. III. Gocher of Hartford. Conn,
secretary of the National Trotting
Association was introduced and asked
to talk little about horses. Mr..
Gocher is said to know more about
horses than any other man in the
United States and gave most inter
esting talk regarding some of the
early trotting horses which were
owned in Maine. He said that the
first horse in the world that ever
trotted a mile in three minutes was
Boston Blue in 1918. before Maine be-
came State and came from near
Augusta, then a man named Alonzo
Haywood from Winthrop bought in
Oneida, N. Y, the horse Maine Mes
senger or Winthrop Messenger. This
horse sired the first trotters of any
breeding in the world. Then there
was Lion, foaled in Maine in 1922,
that was taken to Boston when seven
years of age, before there were any
race tracks and beat everything on
the road
The first real good trotter from
Maine. Mr.. Gocher said, was Fannie
Pullen, foaled in 1925, dam of Trustee,
the first horse in the world to trot go
miles in an hour. The second horse to
beat the worlds record as a trotter
was raised in Gardiner and trotted in
2:2S in 1S49. Another good horse was
Daniel d. Tompkins. In 1880 this
horse was raced in two and three mile
heats in Philadelphia. Another good
Maine horse was owned by a minis
ter from Norridgewock, S. b. Wither-
ell, who bred Vitherell Messenger, the
sire of the first real Maine trotter,
Belle of Portland, that made a record
of 1926 in 1861.
Among the modern horses owned in
Maine, Mr.. Gocher said, the first real
good one came from Waterville. Cen
eral Knox, owned by T. S. Lang, one
of the best horses that ever stood in
the State. He was the sire of two
great horses, Camors and Lady
Maud. Another great horse owned in
Maine was Young Rolfe, sold by C. II.
Nelson to John Shepard of Boston.
Young Rolfe was the sire of the two
great trotters, Aubine and Nelson
1T was quite thing for Maine to
raise horse like Nelson" said Mr.
Gocher, but the animal was badly
handicapped in being trained and
driven by it's owner, but he was a
wonderful horse in spite of it and
made a record of 2.10 which later he
cut to 200 and will always stand as
the Northern King. Mr.. Gocher said
that he was present in Buffalo when
"Hod" Nelson who had just sold Au-
bine for $4,000 was offered $50, 900 for
Nelson but refused it.
Mr.. Gocher said that all the best
sires had been sold out of Maine and
that is why no more Maine horses
were at the front row. Referring to
the fairs, Mr.. Gocher said that Maine
fairs are putting on brand Of racing
that is attracting much attention and
that without doubt the racing pro-
gram is the biggest asset of the fairs.
he gave the members many new
ideas in regard to the running of fairs
in the west. He said that in the west.
to get to be the secretary of a fair
was the first step toward becoming a
politician: that he knew President
Elect Harding when he was a fair
secretary and also Governor Cox of
Ohio when he was in the same posi-
tion Children's work is a great fea :
ture of the fairs in the west and he
advocated it in Maine. The mission
of the fair is to educate and enter
tain. he said.
Speaking of railroad rates, he said
that the. railroads have all they can
do at present to keep running and
they should not be asked for conces-
sions, but in the condition Of things
over the country at present, each man
must meet his own troubles. He urg-
ed the use of trucks for the transpor-
tation of animals to the fairs. where
ever 1t was feasible.