The Washington times., 1932-04-16
FOX HUNT TEST.
Of EQUINE
MERIT
BY HARRY COSTELLO


MIDDLEBURG, Va, April l6.
Those lessons of equitation
learned in the practice of col.
lateral sporting art, foX-hunting,
were to be put to the test here
today on the occasion Of the
twelfth annual race meet Of the
Middlebur0 Hunt and in the pres
ence of an enthusiastic, colorful
and Sport-loving audience.
The course over which today'S
five events we're to be decided
were planned and tagged over
natural hunt country on a por-
ton of beautiful Benton, estate
of D. c. Sands. The course for
the big race of the day, the Mid
dleburg Hunt Cup, a four-mile
test over timber, was stiffish in
deed, thus assuring that any
mount willing will have proved
those equine and hunting virtues
required of all winners of this
famous race.
The Days Feature
Many persons figure the days
big event as a duel between Mrs.
T. H. Sommerville'S Racketeer
I'd. winner of the Deep Run
Hunt Cup last weekend, and
scissors, Flying Horse Farms
star, and winner Of many i'm
portant events over timber, in
cluding the Virginia Gold Cup.
the Sergeant Murphy Cup and
the Maryland Hunt Cup. All II
entries were expected to accept
the issue.
Before the days racing started,
men and women Of wealth and So
cial prominence discussed chances
of entries with fox-huntingS
friendly farmers, while youngsters
of the wealthy and socially proml-
nent set, equally at home in the
saddle as their fox-hunting par
ents, began sharings the days de-
lights with youngsters their own
age from neighboring farms. The
omnipresent villager was here, too,
interested and sympathetic If not
wholly conversant with all phases
of the days activities.
Gay Gowns and Hats
Springs fashions were not want
ing, but our interests leaning top
heavily to the sporting angle for
bid of even superficial discussion,
albeit not of mention.
The whole country about Middle
burg today was alive to the fact
that this spring race meeting OF
the Middleburg Hunt is an attrac'
tive event, and pride OF possession,
as it were, was obvious to the
visitor.
Stable and farm superintend-
ents, grooms and even stable boys
prouder indeed than mere owners,
flashed that pride in their every
move as they prepared their IA
vorites for the various events.
Today's entry list established a
record for races sponsored by the
Middleburg Hunt. There were 81
entries.
The opener today was to be the
Sunnybank, an amateur flat race
for three-year-olds and upward
over about a mile and half OF
turf. There were eight entries.
The Skinner Memorial
With the feature spotted in No.
2 position, the third event was
to be the William Skinner Me-
mortal, tWo-and-a-half miles.
steeplechase over regulation brush
Jumps, for qualified hunters five
years old and upward.
Carded as No. 4 was the Rose
Hill, three miles across country
for half breds and clean breds
that have never won race.
Eleven were expected to start in
this number.
The Loudoun Plate was Sched-
uled as the final. 1t was to be
an open race about two-and,a-
half miles over a brush course.
Fifteen were expected to run.
Boxholders today included
prominent sportsmen and sports
women from New York, Long
Island, Chicago, Philadelphia, De
troit, Cincinnati, Baltimore and
Washington, as we'll as from Vir'
ginia.