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LONG DISTANCE SIDING FOE LAEGE WAGEES. Eecord of Some Remarkable Tests of Human and Equine Endurance Here and in England. Matches on horseback against time have been popular for ages, though they have not been frequent enough to become common. It is related that in the reign of King James in England, one John Lepton rode five times between London and York in as many days, beginning on the morning of Monday, May 20, 1G04, and ending on the following Friday evening, "appearing -before his majesty in as fresh and cheerful a manner as when he first began." In April, 1745, Mr. Cooper Thornhill won a wager by riding three times between Stilton and London, a distance of 213 miles, in 11 hours 33 minutes and 52 seconds. He used eight horses the first seventy-one miles, six the second and seven of the fourteen the third seventy-one miles. At little brown mare -less than fourteen hands high belonging to Daniel Corker was backed to go 300 miles in 72 successive hours on Newmarket Heath in 1754. She accomplished the task in 09 hours and 18 minutes. She was ridden all of the time by a boy who weighed ."57 pounds. Not more than six miles were done at a gallop. In April and May of 175S, Miss Pond easily won a wager jof 200 guineas by riding the same horse 1.000 miles in 1,000 successive hours at Newmarket. Her father, a few weeks later, rode the same horse 1.00J miles in two-thirds of the time. On June 27, 1759, Mr. Jenison Shafto. at Newmarket, rode fifty miles in 1 hour and 49 minutes and 17 seconds, using ten thoroughbred horses. In 17G1 this Mr. Shafto wagered 2,000 guineas with Mr. Hugo Moynell that he would find a person who would ride 100 miles a day for twenty-nine successive days, having any number of horses not exceeding twenty-nine, but not using more than one horse on any one day. Mr. Shafto selected John Woodcock. The task was begun on Newmarket Heath at 1 oclock in the morning of May 4, and ended successfully on the evening of June 1, and Mr. Woodcock had only used fourteen horses. However, he came near to losing the wager for Mr. Shafto. He had ridden a horse called Quidnunc sixty miles one day when it broke down. The rider had to begin over again for that day on a fresli horse. He finished the 100 miles extra of his lost sixty miles at eleven oclock that night. Giles Hoyle, through stormy weather and over poor roads,, rode 540 miles from Ipswich to Tipton and back again in sixty-nine hours, in September, 17S0. Over a circular course of two miles during the Curragh meeting in 1791. a Mr. Wilde won a wager of 2,000 guineas by riding ten thoroughbreds 127 miles in i hours and 21 minutes. He had wagered that he could do it in better than nine hours. It is recorded that he was so little fatigued that he appeared at the Turf clubhouse the same evening. In April, iS02, a Mr. Shaw rode 172 miles from Barton-on-thc-IIuniber to London in 9 hours and 33 minutes, using fourteen horses. He wagered that lie could do it in 10 hours. In December. 1S10. Wat Milton, who weighed 210 pounds, rode from London to Stamford, something ever ninety miles, in 4 hours and 25 minutes, using eighteen horses. On November G, 1S24, a Mr. Lipscomb wagered .,500 that he could employ eight horses and ride ninety miles in 5 hours. He did it in 4 hours 53 minutes and 31 seconds. On April 17, 1820, Captain Polliill, of the First Kings Dragoon Guards, won a wager that he could walk fifty miles, ride fifty miles and drive fifty miles in 24 hours. He selected the course at llaigli l ark, which was three-quarters of a mile and 104 yards around, so that he had to make 18G circuits of it. He walked his fifty miles in 10 hours and 20 minutes, drove it in 4 hours and 24 minutes and rode it in 2 hours and 42 minutes, leaving him winner by 4 hours and 55 minutes. In November of the same year, Captain Polliill on the same racing ground rode thirteen horses ninety-five miles in 4 hours and 7 minutes. He had wagered a considerable stun that he could do the distance with nineteen horses in 5 hours. None of those matches, however, carried with them the interest and excitement that attended the wager in 1831 of Squire George Osbaldeston, of 1,000 pounds with Colonel Cliaritte that he could ride 200 miles on Newmarket Heath in ten hours. The day selected was Saturday, November 4, and the morning dawned raw and wet. Time became favorite in the betting. The watches were set and locked up and at thirteen minutes past seven oclock, the squire, weighing 15G pounds, and wearing a broad riding belt witli whalebone stays as a support to his back, began his task. His saddles were covered with camelskin and he rode with short stirrup leathers. His course was four miles round and at the end of each four miles he changed horses. He rode the 200 miles in 8 hours and 39 minutes, employing twenty-nine horses. He had encountered a blinding rainstorm during the day and was wet to the skin long before he finished. Having won his wager, he galloped off to his quarters, took a hot bath, slept a couple of hours and enjoyed a hearty dinner in the evening. Mr. Osbaldeston was fifty-four years of age when he accomplished this task. This performance of Squire Obaldeston stood as a record until August 2, 1808. when Nell II. Mowry, at Bay View Park, San Francisco, rode thirty horses 200 miles in S hours. But this American rider went further, completing 300 miles in 14 hours and 9 minutes. At Fleetwood Park, New York City. July 3. 1S70. John Murphy, on a wager of S2.000 that he could ride twenty horses 155 miles in better than 0 hours 5S minutes and 30 seconds won by doing the distance in 0 hours 45 minutes and 7 seconds. At Agricultural Park, Los Angeles. California, October 8, 1875, Jose Perez beat J. P. Smith in a match at 50 miles; for 1,000 a side. Each used ten horses, changing at the end of every mile, lcrcz won by a neck. The time was 2 hours and 1 minute. Smith had been beaten 200 yards in the same kind of a match by N. II. Mowry at San Francisco. On April 22, the time being 2 hours 8 minutes and 30 seconds. In New York City, March 12 and 13, Francis Terlato failed in an attempt to ride GOO miles in 50 consecutive hours, using twenty horses. The distance ridden was 457 miles. At Oakland, California, April 12, 1S77, John P. Smith defeated Major K. Pico in a match at 50 miles, using ten horses each and changing at the end of eacli mile, for ,000. The time was 2 hours, 3 minutes and 40 seconds. Smith was again defeated in this kind of a match at San Francisco, April 0, 187S, by Pablo Castro. The time was 2 hours and 7 minutes. Here in Chicago, January 9, 10 and 11, 1879, in 1 he Exposition building, there was an endurance contest of 52 hours between the horse Helsing Jr., and a man named George Guyon; the man walking. The horse covered 201 miles and the man 149 miles. In a six-day race against other horses and men at Mechanics Pavllioii, San Francisco. October 15-20, 1879, Pinafore won, covering 559 miles 754 yards. At the Bay District track, San Francisco, beginning May 15, 1880. there was a six-days riding contest. The riders were allowed to change horses at will, but were required to ride 15 hours daily. A man named Anderson won. He covered 1,30-1 miles. Reyes was second with 1,284 miles. At Louisville, Ky., October 9, 1880, Miss Emma Jewett rode a match of 20 miles against Miss Minnie Pinneo and won in 45 minutes and 11 seconds. They used eight horses each. On October 20, the match was repeated. Miss Jewett again winning, but this time in 51 .minutes and 6 seconds. In the last quarter of. a century there huve been many similar tests of endurance, but few of them on race courses. For the greater part they have taken place among the cowboys in the far west. The mustangs of the plains in the days of the pony post, likewise their riders, were noted for their en-durance and many of .tliem, particularly those having the blood of the Spanish mares which were intni-ducad into Lower California, were exceedingly fleet of foot. Throughout the period covered by the war with the Indians and since, in the days of the struggles of the ranch owners against the cattle thieves, there was much hard riding and feats even more remarki ble than any chronicled here were doubtless accomplished.
