Hungry Horse news. [volume] (Columbia Falls, Mont.) 1948-current, 1955-07-22
by Kathy Harvey

Falls this week. She is Mrs. Mar
garet Gets Mccartney, who holds
a record of eight minutes flat for
the four mile horseback relay.
You wouldn't guess to look at her
that she was winning races at the
turn of the century. She is IS and a
great grandmother but her straight
and energetic appearance bellies her
years.
Yet it was so years ago that she
established her record. 1t was back
at the great fair at Hamlin, between
Minneapolis and st. Paul where the
twin cities held their big joint cele-
bration.
The girls 2O-mile relay was one of
the big drawing attractions at the
fair. Crowds flocked to see the girls
race a mile lap, change horses and
race again. Four laps were run each
day for five days.
Mrs. Mccartney did some remin-
iscing when she visited Thursday
through Saturday at the Columbia
Falls home of her son, Oran Nc
CARNEY, ITO Second Avenue East.
She was returning from attending
the Calgary Stampede with friends,
Mr.. and Mrs. Ray Pier also of Cas-
cade.
1t was easy to see that the former
riding champ enjoyed recalling those
early days. She Sparkled as she de-
scribed the big crowds at the tracks,
the extra horses saddled and brid-
led and nervously waiting in the
| track stalls, the fast changes of
mounts, the running and the frequent
wins and prizes.
Mrs. Mccartney recalled changing
horses in the very fast time of three
seconds. Rules said "a riders feet
had to touch the ground between
horses" She remembers an old one
eyed horse, Good Eye, who came
from racing stock. She stated "he
would drag his attendants out on the
track and with head high watch for
me coming down the track" When
he saw her ne would return to his
stall and wait perfectly still for hel
to ride in and mount him and Their
he was Off Each rider was allowed
one hot blooded'' horse but the
other three had to be stock horses
The racer was always used last fol
the final sprint They were too ner
vous to head into a stall for ;
change of horses and the last lal
was run straightaway past the finisl
line.
Mrs. Mccartney has a great dea
of respect for the range horse. Sh'
said that the contestants didn't d,
much special training of thei
mounts, just rode them around tn
track few times. 1t didn't TAX
them long to get the idea of it. The
wore special racing shoes and a
were required to have regular stoc
saddles. The Cascade woman's ri
weighed more than 80 pounds.
The girls, who raced three at
time, were hired by promoter
appear at various races. They Wer
paid salary and expenses and tn
horses were transported free. Tn
! girls won prizes and trophies. Mr.
I Mccartney was presented wit
! many lovely prizes, including an el
I graved gold watch and jewele
I horseshoe pin. Among the places 81
! raced were Great Falls, Helen
( Butte, Anaconda, Minneapolis al
! Des Moines, Iowa. Her sister som
I times accompanied the girls to SUI
! stitute in emergencies. She was on
! called upon to race once, when a g
( was injured slightly.
: Mrs. Mccartney said that aft
- she had raced for awhile she decid
to quit. A hopeful promoter ask
her to name her price. Hoping
discourage him she asked the ste
price of 500 a week and expense
I He snapped at the chance and s
l raced some more.
HI Her girlhood was fine prepal
ton for horse racing. Her fath'
Samuel v. Gets, retired after ma
years as stage coach driver a
supervisor, to ranching about
miles northwest of Cascade ne
Great Falls. He lost his sight a
his two daughters talked him il
keeping the ranch. They took oy