United States Decides Wisely: Sir Adam Beck Commends Policy of Government in Refusing to Buy Mares for Army Purposes, Daily Racing Form, 1917-07-08

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UNITED STATES DECIDES WISELY. Sir Adam Beck Commends Policy of Government in Refusing to Buy Mares for Army Purposes. London, Ont., July 7. Colonel Sir Adam Beck who is director of remounts for Canada and has purchased many thousand head of cavalry horses since the outbreak of the war, is one of the progressive and public spirited Canadians interested in horse breeding, who has a full, measure of praise for Uncle Sam because of the instructions given by the authorities at Washington that no mares will be accepted. "As a breeder of horses and as director of remounts In this country, I am vitally interested in the future of that type of horse which we must have for army purposes. I think it was an exceedingly wise provision which the American authorities included in their instructions to buyers that no mares would be accepted. We could follow your example with profit. It is a pity to send so many good young mares out of the country every week, as they shall be sadly needed in the future. Many of them are of a type which it lias taken a long period to produce. "I have noticed appeals through the American press on behalf of various organizations for an increase in horse production this year and the reports which have come to me would indicate that the people are responding splendidly. Every mare of proper type to throw a cavalry remount or an artillery horse should be bred this season and we here in Canada have endeavored to stimulate the industry. Witli upward of 400,000 men overseas and patriotic and Red Cross work to be done, the country has much to engage its attention, but we still find time to do something for the horse. "This section of Ontario," resumed Sir Adam, "was once the home of m6re good blood than any other part of the Dominion, hut for some time we havent had as many thoroughbred sires standing for mares as in former years, when there were a dozen or more within, a radius of fifty miles of Loudon. There were sons of Longfellow, Esher and other good American sires, as well as several of English blood. With a view to rehabilatating our horse products I have asked my friend Lord Falmouth, the famous British sportsman, who is a splendid judge of the sort of sire we .need, to select three or four thoroughbreds of the right type iind thfey will leave England in time to be available for next springs campaign. Lately Bought Mares Will Prove Useful. "Your Jockey Clubs lfreeding" Bureau I understand, has lately purchased some good mares in oxt, district, daughters of Philosophy, Tupelo and others and they should help the work in the Empire state, particularly if taken to the Genesee Valley, where the Breeders Association is doing splendid service through cooperation with the racing authorities. This is as it should be and there is no better work at this time than preparing for a future supply of that type of horse which will be of the greatest usefulness to the country at large, whether in time of peace or war. "If. our government wont undertake the work with the same degree of enthusiasm as is seen abroad, organizations like the Jockey Club and the National Federation of Horse Shows and individuals who love the horse and appreciate his importance must do their best to keep the spark of progress alive." Sir Adam had an interesting letter to show from a young French officer, who had lately seen at the battle front Capt. Baron de Meslor, winner of the Canadian challenge cup for army officers at the National Horse Show in Madison Square Garden in 1913. Baron de Meslors death was announced during the show last fall, but though two horses have been killed under him in the campaign, the gallant officer and his good mare Amazone, which thrilled the spectators four years ago, are still alive and may some day return to America to win the Canadian trophy permanently. The letter stated that, though the Baron had ridden the stout little thoroughbred mare 1,900 miles since the war began, she was in the pink of condition.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1917070801/drf1917070801_1_3
Local Identifier: drf1917070801_1_3
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800