The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-01-25
Ralph Burrill Well Known on SOM
erset County Turfs

Few people, except those intimately
connected with horse racing, or who
have been followers OF the sport, are
able to realize the position which
Ralph Burrill, the trainer, acquired
by l.. II. Powers for his two horses,
occupies IN the world of light harness
racing.
The fact that for the past four
years Mr.. Burrill has been second
only to Walter Cox himself in the
Grand Circuit trainers stable where
he personally handled many OF the
big money winners that have featured
racing on the big circuits during the
period, speaks volumes for fhe veter-
an trainers ability, but knowledge
of his life, which has been filled with
horse since he was mere boy east
ly shows how he came to occupy the
position which he left to, come to
Houlton. ,.s -
Born in Newport, Maine. forty
eight years ago, Mr.. Burrill received
his knowledge of horses and horse
racing from his father, A. N. Burrill,
who was one of the premier horse
trainers of the State and New Eng
land at that time, A. N. Burrill was
a member of the old school OF light
harness horse racers to which be-
longed men whose names are re-
membered by old time horse lovers.
Having charge of the G.. j. Shaw sta
Bile at IIartland he raced horses on
Maine tracks in the days of A. w.
Bracket of Pittsfcld; Sam Jacobs
of Skowhegan; Walter Blaisdeil of
Burnham Ed Getchell and Sylvester
William of Waterville; Lon Scribner
of Portland; John Haines OF Old
Orchard and many others.
Ralph Burrill sat behind a horse to
his first race when he was sixteen
years of age in Petaluna, California,
while yet a school boy, and he has
driven hoses ever since.
Following a short period in Cali
fornia, the Burrills returned to Show
hogan. Finishing school Ralph
went into the racing game with his
father and drove his first race on
Maine tracks at Exeter in 1890, win
ming a three minute race with mare
called Bess, the fastest heat being in
|244 IA, and winning the 2.40 class
with a PAGER called Dick Irwin in
240 fiat.
"Jn those days" said, Mr.. Burrill,
chose horses looked like world beat
ors but they would be sadly out of
place today and would not even be
able to place in the farmers class.
Leaving Skowhegan, Mr.. Burrill
spent a year at Tingsbury. Mass
with the DR.. Fitzgerald stable and
then he came to Bangor where he
trained horses for over 20 years
racing all over the state of Maine
building up strong reputation
Some of the horses he handled the
reins over during that time were:
Sallums OLA Ia. Blanche F. CTS
Id. Bessie-be-sure (2.16 Ia
Northern Spy. ell Ia, Henry I'll
ter (21O LAD. Direct Braden GIG
La, and many others. During this
time he had under his care Con-
stantine (212 la and Ambulator
(2.09 Ia. He remained in Bangor
until 1917 when he went to Water
Vile for wear, then to Dover, N. II
Laurel Hall farms, Indianapolis and
finally to the Cox stables in Goshen
| n. Y; from where he came to Houlton
In 1919 Mr.. Burrill raced all over
New England with string of horses
from the Cox stables. He had a prize
string under his care and some big
money winners among them being ii
, II. Bett (203 la. winning eight first
moneys out of eleven starts
Easter knight t2.15 1-4). winning
| five first out of seven starts, Abolent
ll2.15 la winning five first out o.
eight starts. Valley Forbes f2.13 1-D
winning one first in two starts, DR.
Long l21S Id, Winning three hrsttl
lin six starts. My LeaE22aS feD win
ming his only start in addition TO
couple of colts with which he woI
several second moneys.