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i ■ i ! INFLUENTIAL AID FOR BENNING MEETING. c . I Men Prominent in Social and Official Circles Inter- i ested in Venture. f New York. March 20. Announcement of a race J meeting to be held at the Denning course at Wash J ington. 1. C. on Thursday. May li. and Saturday, J May 18, lias aroused inu.h interest here. Tie races s will be run under the auspices of the Washington J Biding and Hunt club, an amalgamation of the Washington Riding Club ami the Bock Creek Club. « with the sanction of the Hunts Committee ol the J National Steeplechase and limit Association. It was J at Bock Creek Park thai former President Theodore Roosevelt rede oto the cross-country course when be j occupied the White House. Tiie War Department i- co-operating with the above named organization for tie- success of tin- I coming meeting, and Maj. Henri r. Allen i.s chair- man of the committee that will preside over the l rati- in which etticers of the aiiuy an 1 navy parti f cipate. i A meeting was held at the Metropolitan Club i one I of tiie most exclusive organization-, in America I last Friday ami the plans tor th. meeting were formulated it that time. Among those present were: 1 Edward McLean, William Uttauer, Edward Mitchell, s II. Boater Dulaney, w. c. Bust is, Lieut. Charles K. Bock well, Samuel s. Res-, c. Jordan, Perry Bel : ■out, Henry T. Oxuard, J. Westcoti. Clarence i Moore. Frank J. Bryan and Algernon DaingerfleM. 1 Saturday, May 18, had been allotted t.. the Bamapo i Steeplechase Club for its inciting at Hobokus, New i Jersey. When Charles Kohler was apprised of the j proposed meeting at Beanins he notified Frank J. Bryan that he would cheer fully accept another date j for the racing on his estate, and furthermore aid s the Washington meeting it called upon. Every prominent club in the national capital has , given assurance of support. The meeting will be maintained by subscription from men ol prominence j in Washington and other cities. Seven races will , be run on each day. four of which will be decided , through the steeplechase field and three on the tlat. . Th -, , ents will Include army race- on the tlat , and over obstacles: open and hunters steeplechases, a dash lor polo ponies, ami a four-mile old-fashioned nflair on the Mat for hunter-. The races will be for gentlemen riders, officers of : tin- army and navy, and officer* of foreign govern- j inents holding diplomatic relation- with this country. . in the legations there an many crack riders who 1 io achieved distinction abroad, and they have signified their intentions of competing in the events . to lie offered. Purses will range from 00 to ,000. Valuable cups will he given to the winning riders and trophies _ to tie- riders of borseS finishing second and third. " August Belmont lias already tendered in elaborate flip, which will be the donation of the New York branch of the United Stale- Cavalry and Remount j Association. The cup will be presented to the win-in r of a cavalry test, to be held Ma] IV The test i- f. r a troop of cavalry to go twenty miles across country over a territory to be selected by irovern-nieiit officials, and finish in front of the grandstand. Gen. Leonard Wood and staff will Judge the condition of men and horses, and the nip will be awarded ou this scon. The approach of the finish of this ! test will be made known by a detail from the Signal Corps. The Washington branch of the National Remount Association will donate a cup for one of the races. The Metropolitan, the Army and Navy and the i Chevy Chase clubs will also give cups. A couple of troops from Fort Meyer. Virginia. will give a drill between races. Their drills are spectacular aud certain to prose a decided attraction. The proficiency of the Fort Meyer troops is known throughout the leugth and breadth of the land, and the opportunity to witness the maneuvers will mean Hie gathering of a notable assemblage. The Benning track is in splendid condition. Owing to the number of horses quartered in the enclosure during the winter months superintendent W. P. Thompson has beat every effort to keep the track and steeplechase Beld safe and fast. The clubhouse will be re -opened and the tickets for club ■ember-ship will be handled by tie prouiiiieiit clubs of Washington. The program i- being prepared and will be Issued in a sew days.
