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THE FATHER OF RACING IN BRITISH COLUMBIA ! ROBERT F. LEIGHTON. ROBBKT F. LCIGHTON. to whose efforts more than anybody elses is due the present llonrisliiiu; condition of racing in British Columbia, is well and favorably known to kone-inen who have made a practice of racing in the far west. For years before In- become active in the management of racing on its pre seal pretentious scale in the westernmost province of Canada Judge I.eighton was connected in an official capacity with fair meetings in various parts of the northwest and gained an acquaintance and reputation among horsemen that was of material lienetit to the racing as-ociatioiis at Vancouver and Victoria when they launched out in an ambitions way a few year- ago. If any man is entitled to be dnbbed the -father" of racing in British Columbia .Indue Leigbtoa is that man. It was he who interested some of the foremost citizens of Vancouver ami Victoria in the establishment of racing at those points to till the void reuniting from the closing of The Meadows at Seattle in consequence of legislation against bookmaking in the state of Washington in 1909. When racing was going on at The .Meadows Judge Leightou helped to conduct the mf ting! ami it was quite natural when Seattle ceased to be a racing point that lie should have stepped into the gap with plans designed to provide further racing opportunities for the horsemen with whom he had been associated. Judge Leightou is a native of Kngland. but has nimle his home in British Columbia since he was a young man. Last winter he paid his lii-st visit to his native land since bavins there as a youth. Like most Englishmen, In- is food of sports ami especially so of those in which the bora* plays ;i parr. In addition to his activities in connection with the racing of thoroughbreds he has figured in other sports on the Pacific coast, notably pony pole and pony rating. He was tin a time secretary of one of the leading organizations engaged in the latter sport on the coast and achieved as high a rep-ulalion for efficiency in that lim- as he since has in the wider field of thoroughbred racing, as presiding judge, racing secretary and haiidi-• ripper. Personally, Jmlije I.eighton is highly esteemed by a large circle of friends and acquaintances, numbered among whom arc many of tin solid and substantial men of affairs on the Pacific roast, from Vancouver to the Mexican border. He is a gentleman of agreeable personality I and racing folk who claim acquaintance with him like liitn Immensely. + +
