South American Riding Ways., Daily Racing Form, 1909-05-06

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SOUTH AMERICAN RIDING WAYS. Campbell McCavin. paiPiallPJf to he a jockey, but when, where c-r for whom, the- records do not show, has. according to his own account, been iu South Ameriea viewing tlie racing in Chili ami Argentina and has famished a south. 111 newspaper with several columns of truly wonderful information, especially concerning racing at Buenos Acres, of sonic featarea of riding and racing at this city, lie saj : "The jockeys there ride a different way entirely from our way. The curb bit they use is just like-a razor. They have a ve-ry long rein When riding and dont pull an ounce on the reins at anv time. They just give a horse his head when the barrier is sprung and away they ga as fast as they e-aii. running the- uuarter in 22. and the half in Is or better. Jockeys have no idea ol pace down there and then to see them tiuish on a horse-. They only hive their toes in tin- stirrup and when thev liri.-ii they whip 011 tlie shoulder am! flank with the whin lied 011 their wrists. Thev will whip all during the race with one band over the shoulder and dank 011 both side. of the horse. Now. iust Imagine a rider whipping with tin- s.inie hand on the right ami left shoulder and Hank, and witli the whip tied t bis wrist, too. "It would seem peculiar, sure-ly. if they did that tere. and still our way sccnis strange to them, with our knees away up on a borsea withers and with the- short stirrup. They looke d at me in surprise When they saw me one- morning exercising 1 horse, and it was the first time the horse had .1 snaffle bit on. He- was just like a yearling, not brhllewlse with the bit. and I got along with him. but it would take a little- time to get tin- horses used to our bit. two months, perhaps. "They use- the starting gate, and the ft Ids ate v.ry large. Often you will see twenty Ave startera in a race, and then- is no trouble getting them oil. The best starling 1 have ever seen, tar better than iu America, waa down there. "The horses are saddle-el twenty minutes before tic-race, and tney go out on the- track and parade up and down lor twenty minutes while tin- people are belling in the inutuels. Everybody bets on the horses in Buenos Avre-s. Its nothing hut horse-. l-«»rse. horse, all the time: they have over twenty five papers devoted to horse racing, so yoa can imagine what a hold raring has on tlie people ol Bnenoa Ayres. ".Not only in Buenos Ayres. but in Boslarto. star de Piatta and m.iiiv other places in and around Buenos Ayres racing is gofaag 011 at the .eme- time . Right iii Bnenoa Ayres all the- year round there la lining. In Loinas. which is an outlaw track, aero the- river in Montevi.iio. Iraguay. there is high c la* racing all the year tor big purses, hut tin- same way of riding is there also."


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1900s/drf1909050601/drf1909050601_1_18
Local Identifier: drf1909050601_1_18
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800