Evening star., 1939-03-15
By ROBERT HENRY.

AAASAii1t. tilS 81 dilNl Oll Illdll VI
shoW-ring competition, tonight will
retire from the sport that has made
him one of the most loved blue
ribbon winners of all time. Every
thing has been arranged at Fort
Myer to make his last public ap-
pearance a tribute beftting a real
champion.
Now 33 years old, the gray-lined
little chestnut horse has become a
yard stick by which other nice
horses are measured. To call a
horse nice horse is praise
enough from any rider and Kismet
probably has been the object of
that remark more than any other
show performer. And deservedly so.
Last Appearance in Big Test.
Tonight Kismet will compete as
one of Arlington Hall Junior Col
lege'S main hopes in the school
team jumping class: and if it is
possible to cut the 10la point lead
of the Pennsylvania Military Col
lege, it's likely that Pop will do
his share of cutting He'll know
what it's all about. for two years
ago he went into the ring under
similar conditions and against the
same opposition and made a perfect
score-the score that enabled Ar
lington to win the championship.
But being in tight spots is an
old story to this strange little
animal whose life history reads
like crazy-quilt fiction. Sixteen
years ago he was pitted against
two foreign-bred championships
met himself is foreign-bre exactly
where no one knows, but at the
time he had been in this country
long enough to receive full citizen
ship recognition-in an exhibition
billed as the combination high
broad jumping championship of the
world
Proves Surprise to Critics.
Upon entering the test, many
smart observers snickered at his
chances against established stars
that were sent to this country with
the greatest sort of optimism. They
were big, long-striding thorough
breds-Kismet stood ISL and his
breeding was unknown only to the
extent that he certainly was not a
blueblood. But then. as many times
before and since. he came through
with flying colors. He not only
won the contest but broke the
worlds record for the jump with
tremendous leap of feet 2 inches
high and "a feet broad. and sent
the foreigners back home talking"
to themselves.
Three winters ago Kismet really
was in a tight spot. In fact, several
veterinarians concluded that he was
ticketed for horse valhalla. A mys-
terious water disease had worked
itself into his legs, leaving them
swollen to twice their normal size.
He was a mighty sick warrior, and
even his most loyal friends asked
that he be destroyed rather than
see him continue the suffering they
knew was his. However, Fritz Klee-
mann, his owner, had faith in the
horses unpredictable powers and in
sisted on giving him all the chances
he deserved. And again Kismet
came through with victory, COM
pletely recovered, and six weeks later
won the individual championship in
the school jumping competition at
Fort Myer
Once Sold for $50.
A book the size of the dictionary
would be necessary to detail Kis-
NETS complete life and deeds but
few words can give an insight into
his amazing character and person.
atty Imported from Europe to this
country when an unbroken 8-year-
old, he developed pneumonia en-
route, was condemned by the Army
and sold at auction for $50. Sold
and resold, his great ability still
undiscovered, he was not taught to
jump until he was II, an age when
many performers are ready to call