Evening star., 1939-01-27
BY ROBERT HENRY.

Last nights closing performances
Of the Presidents Birthday Horse
Show at Fort Myer left the Army
riders a bit up on the nearby civil
ians as far as blae ribbon awards
were concerned, but it was only after
the bitterest sort Of a fight were they
able to capture the majority of first
prizes.
Stanch rivals for the past several
years the experts from the Army
post and the daring amateurs from
around Washington went into the
closing nights events tied with two
victories apiece. Wednesday eve
ming the open hunters and the
handy jumpers classes had been
won by exhibitors from the Virginia
Army post, but the civilians had
come with a rush in the last two
numbers, the road hacks and the
open jumpers, to even the score and
thus set up a perfect stage for a
fight to the finish.
The first class of the evening, the
important fault-and-o out, finally
went to the service equestrians, but
only after stirring struggle that
carried one member from each side
into double jump-off.
Half of the eight jumps had been
moved up to 5 feet to settle the SUI
premacy between the Army's Clipped
Wings and Fritz Kleeman's King
Rock. The rest of the contestants,
some % of the finest show ring per-
formers stabbed around town, had
found the catchy course too much
and had dropped out with startling
rapidity.
Hits Final Hurdle.
King Rock, with young Jimmy
Marsh in the saddle, was the first
Of the remaining couple to attempt
the triumph, and for a spell it
seemed he had it in the bag. At
the very last fence, however, a triple
bar affair, the big bay son of Seal
Rock knocked over the top pole but
it still meant that Clipped Wings
would have to go clean if his side
was to gain the main prize-and
the lead over the civilians.
Capt. John Collier, who only a
few days ago received the mount on
the rangy brown mare-one of the
most reliable jumpers in this Sec
tion-apparently realized the great
Importance of the event. Taking a
forward seat and a short rein on
his horse. he carefully nursed her
over each one of the fences and
gave the Army fans plenty to shout
about when he cleared the last OBJ
stacle with several inches to spare
This gave the Fort Myer members
slight lead which they quickly lost
in the next class.
Here, U. S. Randle, representing
the civilians in the competition, wor
the hunter hacks, with his Randle's
Find, and then the Army stepped
out and stayed In front for the res,
| of the show.
Col. George S. Patton, comman.
dant Of the post, personally tool
charge OF the situation and bootee
his side into lead they never lost
when he rode the big chestnut Rec
Fox to victory in the working hunter
class. Lady Jack owned and riddel
by Gardner Holman. performed
well, but not quite we'll enough Il
help her cohorts in the battle TO,
the blues.
The last event, the open jumpers
which was the last chance of tn,
civilians to even the count, pro
vided plenty of excitement, but tn,
Army managed to stave off severa
husky bids and get home" safely.
Three OF the posts horses had gont
clean when the top Fighters from
the other side went into action
Skippy Steig, riding her Hi-Ho
seemed to 60 around without touch
but it developed that they had hit
the first jump. This gave then
one-half a fault, which was toe
much. Then the pint-sized Utter
bug-a real crowd pleaser-bouncec
over the jumps with a neat display
but two slight touches proved two
too many.
Finally Rocksie and Margaret
Cotter-stars of the previous night
came into the ring and were going