Evening star., 1935-03-17
Kings Sport
Abundant on
Foreign Turf
Horses Have Big Role
In Drama of Life
in Europe.


race which some Americans
hear about from Europe, but
~ for longer years than one has
time to reckon thousands of
travellers have gone from the United
States to Europe annually for the sake
of the horses.
Aintree, where the Grand National
will be run March 90; Epson and
Goodwood in England, and Long
champs, Enghien. Auteuil, st. Cloud
In France, are more famous to horse
lovers than Stratford-on-Avon or YER
sailles are to the average traveller. In
Italy it's the races at San Slro, IN
Milan, at the Villa Gloria and the
Capanelle Hippodrome in Rome. or
those at the Arcoveggio in Bologna
that fill the trains of the pilgrims
peninsula with the atmosphere OF the
turf.
Almost every other day, frequently
on Sundays, from March until No
vember, the race tracks of Europe are
crowded. Not only the tourist-haunted
lands, but also those off the beaten
track, provide these international
thrills. AS far away as Greece, at
Phaleron, suburb of Athens, the races
60 on
At Copenhagen, in little Denmark;
at Budapest, in Hungary, horse racing
is a national pastime. Vienna is as
proud of its derby, late in May. as
Londoners are of theirs, held June D.
Horse racing in Ireland is the sport
of all the people. Phoenix Park, Cur
ragh, Baldoyle, Proudstown Park,
Tramore-these are names to conJure
with on the turf of the Emerald Isle
Dublin claims the oldest horse show
in the world, held this year from Au-
gust to 10.
MOT only in races, but also in
~ variety of picturesque forms. the
horse plays a notable part in the Eu-
ropean drama of life. One might as
well come to Washington and miss the
White House as to go to Vienna ana
not see the performances of the Span
ish Riding School, given every Sun
day. except during the two months
of July and August. For generations
It has put on costumed exhibitions of
equestrian skill unequaled anywhere
in the world.
AS for horSe-laughs, PadstoW, in
Wales, and Minehead, in England. pro-
vide these in plenty on May day.
when villagers carry "hobby-horse"
through the streets. In PadstoW the
hobby-horse is a fearsome creature,
but Minehead's celebration lasts the
longer. If people do not throw coins
into the money box for it the hobby
horse sprouts long tail Of rope to
chide them.
COWBOYS roamed in Europe before
America was discovered, and even
today the gypsy riders on the Ca
margue, in the south of France, and
the plainsmen of the Hortobagy, in
Hungary, are quite as picturesque as
the cowboys of the United States.
Every year on the festival of the Holy
Maries, one of whom is the saint of
the gypsies-May "a in 1935-the
horsemen of the Camargue put on
regular wild West" show that would
make Buffalo Bill envious. Instead of
having bullfights, they first pin a
rosette to the bull and then attempt
to snatch it off. Later they demon
strate their skill in separating par
ticular beast from full herd
In late Spring. Hungarian cowboys
and horsemen round up their herds
and f1ocks for the great market the
last week of June. On this occasion
they doff their everyday costumes and
dress in elaborately embroidered
cloaks, with enormous collars and
sleeves.
For those who delight in horse
pageantry, golden with medieval trap
pings, Siena has its famous bare
back races around the Piazza del
Campo on July and again on August
Is. Before the race groups in dazzling
costumes parade, waving flags and
now and then tossing them wildly in
the air. Afterward the winning horse
is led to the Church of the Madonna
del Provenzano and the merrymaking
in the town continues long into the
night.