Evening star., 1939-06-05
..Rocksie Triumphs
In Meadowbrook
Show Feature
Wins Skyscroper Event
With Record Leop
After 5 Jump-Offs

Ok reputation as great open jumper ex-
hibitors, local riders breathed more
freely today as result of the record
breaking victory of Margaret Cotter
and her gallant horse Rocksie in the
featured skyscraper class which
brought the Washington Horse Show
to climactic close before $500
cheering spectators at the Meadow
brook Saddle Club yesterday.
The sensational triumph, scored
only after five thrilling jump offs
and final leap Of 6 feet 3 inches,
was mighty important to the home
toWners. DoWncast by their failure
earlier to provide stout opposition
to visiting stables they all shared
the glory Of the combination that
put them back into the headlines
Providing a new high in show
ring thrills the class afforded all who
saw it kick that will last long in
their memory Starting at 4 feet
g inches and Az feet the two jumps
were moved up 3 inches at time
Jas the eventual winner and Black
sCaddy, owned and ridden by Fred
Hughes, jr., outjumped five other
entries in the second jump-off for
the blue. Six horses had dropped
out earlier.
After both finalists had surprised
nearly all present by surviving the
third jump-off the first obstacle was
raised to 614 feet and the other to
612. Caddy, standing but 1873 hands
high, could figure no reason why he
~ should jump something he couldn't
see over and twice refused. Then
s> Rocksie evened matters up by trying
- but bringing down the top pole as
- his hind feet dragged slightly. Both
- riders tabooed toss a coin" talk,
and continued.
BY this time bets were flying
many the result of wishful thinking
~ AS to which, if either. would make
the grade. Both horses were lathered
from head to toe and acting up
: Enthusiastically.
Despite the whipping efforts of
his rider, Black Caddy again twice
refused the first jump to once more
.. leave 1t up to Rocksie, which by now
q . was ready for the kill
i Charging like SteeplechaSer the
stout-hearted bay responded nobly
to the loud encouragement of his
e, young rider, the only girl in the
class; took off in stride and with
inches to spare cleared the formi-
dable barrier The fans went hay
: wire at the great performance.
, Although no official confirmation
was obtainable, it was believed by
many widely-traveled experts to be
United States record leap for
4" girl amateur rider in actual COM
petition. Miss Cotter broke the local
record last fall when she rode her
mount over 6-foot fence to win
a knock down -and-out class at the
Knights of Columbus show in deep
mud
While the victory stole the entire
show, Virginia owned horses, par
ticularly those from Mrs. John Hay
Whitney's Upperville stable, con-
tinued to win applause and gather
ribbons that led to championships
in three divisions. AS in the first
two days, they won with remarkable
4. consistency to uphold the honor of
! the Old Dominion State.
: In the hunter events the Whitney
: entries won four blues, including two
stake classes and the two cham
pionships Two Leggins won the
ladies' hunters and the $3.50 working
hunter stakes, and also the working
hunters tricolor Spring Hope took
the Admiral Cary T. Grayson
Memorial Cup for thoroughbred
hunters, and the $500 hunter stake.
The good looking bay mare also was
reserve champion to Mrs. Whitney's S
Bon Diable in the conformation
hunter championship. Altogether
the stable won II blue ribbons.
The Springsbury Farm, owned by
: Mr.. and Mrs. George P. Greenhalgh
< of Berryville. could not keep pace
sss with the Whitney winners yesterday,
- but nevertheless continued to score
~ when Billy Do, competing in both
= the hunter and jumper divisions,
~ won two blues and the jumper cham
sa< pionship.
.<.S s@% The veteran brown horse repeated
. his Saturday triumph in the last
: phase Of the three-day jumper event
4, to have total of 13 points for that
> class, five more than Black Caddy,
: which gained second place yesterday
. after third Saturday. In a jump
, of for second place finals Black
= Caddy beat out Fridays winner,
: Santa Claus, which also had five
: points. Billy Do came back later to
!. make the only clean round to win
!. the $500 jumper stake. Springsbury
: also won the Gwinn Wheelwright
a. Rust Memorial Trophy with a team
/. composed of Sallyport, Brown Bruin
> and Billy Do.
= The Trillora Farm from Long
+, Island, N. Y, competing only in the
$ saddle division, made the trip from
the Northern State worth while when
; 1t picked up its eighth blue of the
show in the $3.50 five-gaited saddle
horse stake with Modern Rouge.
The fancy stepping bay mare also
won the five-gaited combination
(. %1