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f .1. INTERESTING FACTS IN CONNECTION WITH HORSE BREEDING AND RACING IN NEW ZEALAND Detroit. Mich., July 28. Among the visitors at the Windsor Jockey Club last week was Mr. G. L. Stead of Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand. Mr. Stead is a son of the famous antipodean turfman, the late G. G. Stead, who- sold Maxim to the late James B. Haggin for 4,500 guineas. Mr. Stead is one of the leading sportsmen of New Zealand and not only breeds but trains the horses which run in his colors. He gave some interesting fncts in connection with horse breeding and racing in his country. "We in New Zealand," said he, "are rather proud of what we have accomplished in the way of breeding and racing. The fact -that the two Islands north and south, with a total population of not more than a million, have sent to the front or have in training, ready to go, 120,000 men, will give you some idea of the spirit of our people. We are an nthletic, out-of-door folk, and being blessed with a climate which enables us to race; and participate in other sports all the year round, interest in the things which are healthful and manly is constant. I We have 280 days of racing in the year, but no club has more than eleven days in the twelve 1 months. Auckland enjoying that distinction, while the others have but ten days at the most. "We encourage the product of the thoroughbred, the three-quarter bred and the half-bred horse, but our aim is always to induce the farmer to produce a horse with as many crosses of pure blood as possible. For this reason we offer a premium of 00 of your money to the breeder of the winner of certain of our races. There are also two or more races yearly of substantial value, where the progeny of maiden mares get a five pounds allowance. At every winter meeting substantial purses ranging from 100 pounds to 200 pounds are given for half arid three-quarter bred animals, either on the flat, over hurdles or cross country. These races not only serve the purpose of improving the breed of horses, but bring out a high quality of horsemanship, as fanners, and their sons fre-: quently ride. We also have numerous races fori gentlemen riders exclusively. Our courses are on I the turf and are from a mile to a mile and a half in circumference. The steeplechase courses are stiff, some of the brush fences .being up to five j feet. There are post and rail fences and sod ! -and stone walls. Point to point racing-Is quite a feature with us and in this there is barb wire and plenty of gorse fences, some of the latter so high 1 that a horse cannot see over them. Horses of Blood Found in Every Community. "Some years ago," resumed Mr. Stead, "our government placed six thoroughbred sires at the disposal of the farmers and breeders at a fee of 2 pounds. These had been added to by donations and purchases from our racing stock, until at present horses of blood are found in every community we had, as a result of this policy, quite a supply of cavalry remount material when the war began. The supply, however, is exhausted now and because of this fact, coupled with the liberal policy of the various clubs which have given in some instances their entire revenues from the gate and other privileges to tiie war fund, the government lias curtailed our sport only moderately. The authorities have rendered substantial encouragement to breeding by allowing horses to return free from race meetings. Similar conditions also prevail for show horses, hunters, polo stock and thoroughbred broodmares and stallions, returning from exhibitions, the same privilege obtains if a breeder wishes to patronize a sire at a distance. We have much good blood in our country, with that of St. Simon most in demand. Nearly all our successful horses carry it in some degree. "We have no long meetings at any given point, as I have already said, and even our ten-day periods are divided into four meetings. For examnle. at my home the Canterbury Jockey Club holds a four-uiy spring meeting in November fort both flat and hurdle races, and one of three in August, which is our winter season. This is principally for jumpers, while the two days at Easter are taken up with hurdle and flat racing. On the remaining day in February flat racing only is the attraction. The season is at its height at Christmas and on Boxing Day there is sport on practically all of the fifty courses of which New Zealand boasts. No hurdle races are less than a mile and a half and no chase at less than two miles. "It is not possible with us to lay up huge profits from rucing. Speculation is through the totalizator and the government takes 2J6 per cent of all monies betted. The residue from the "tots" must be offered for purses and stakes the following season. We made 7,000 at our meeting last year. Tills amount is to be arranged for at the coming meetings. Whatever profit is derived comes from admissions, privileges, entries and acceptances. We made 5,000 In that way in 1910, and this was donated to the war fund. Naturally the minister, who has charge of racing, is friendly to the sport, the devotees of which have shown a desire to do their bit. The government received from racing in New Zealand in 1910 a total of 60,000 pounds, while the various clubs in the same period distributed in stakes 509,132 pounds. "We, who own the horses, race chiefly for the sport, though, of course, we like to run our establishments without a deficit. Mine is small in comparison with others, as I have only fifteen mares. The Toff is my best horse, and he was good enougn to beat my brothers Sansanoff, which had won the 0,000 Melbourne Cup, though Sasa-noff in turn beat The Toff over a mile and a half course. We aim to discourage selling races as much as possible and encourage contests at weight-for-age as against handicaps. We had a shining example of the advantage of weight-for nge racing in the four-year-old mare Desert Gold, a granddaughter of Galinule, which had won more than 17,000 pounds to date, practically all of it in contests where she met all comers at weight-forage. There is encouragement for a man to breed or buy the best when such conditions prevail. There is more glory in winning on even terms than through the medium of a handicap. The public want to see the best horses as often as possible. Weight-for-age horses solve the problem and there should be several at every meeting. We have them where a candidate can stay in the eligible list until two weeks of the race for one pound. Some of our races of this character close with as many as 150 nominations. No payment accompanies the entry. Surprised at lack of Weight-for-Age Races. "I was. surprised at the number of selling races and handicaps and the lack of weight-for-age races on your program," continued Mr. Stead. "We give m the spring thirty-two races of an average value of 650 pounds per race, with a grand average of 450 pounds for the ten days. Many of these are weight-for-age and a good performer will carry the balance of the stable. There is big money for a good horse, no mntter whether lie performs on the flut or over obstacles. The New Zealand Grand National Hurdle Handicap, at two and one-half miles, having an added value of 1,200 sovereigns, while the Auckland Cup at two miles, has an added value of 2,650 sovereigns. The New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase at three miles, has 1,500 sovereigns added. I was fortunate enough to win this race in 1915 with Tim Doolen, a horse with only three straight crosses on the dams side. How about our controlling body? All our racing is under governmental control, operating througli a Racing Conference of about fifty members. There is a deputation from eacli of the courses and boards of appeal for each district, with the final hearing by the full board. We have a stipendiary steward at each meeting representing the governing body. Our horses have no preliminary warming up gallops, but canter to the post in colors after passing the stand in race card order, where the spectators may view them closely. Blinkers are not allowed. Our yearlings are broken in eighteen months and the barrier is a part of their education. Most of the trnining is done on public grounds, though many clubs permit the yearlings before they race to have a flutter down the straight on race days to get them usedjo the crowds. "Bad actors at the post? Oh, yes. we have them, too, but they are not tolerated. In Australia the starter has autocratic powers and may send an unruly horse to the paddock. The public know the bad actors and take their chances if they bet on them. With us the starter reports to the stewards and the animals entry is refused. Your Mr. Dades starting is not surpassed by any that I have ever seen. I was struck by the short delays at the post. We have dope too, but have stamped it out pretty thoroughly. No ponies are allowed on the course, nor do we permit leads to the po;3t. If a boy can t take a horse to the post the horse is not the type of racing material that is going to improve the breed. All bets stand after the boys are weighed out. We have no overnight races, most of our big races closing three months ahead, while the shortest period is two weeks prior to the time of starting. In selling races half the surplus goes to the second horse and half to the race fund." Mr. Stead purchased for 0,000 the five-year-old English horse "Nassau," by William the Third Stolen Love, and his first crop of foals are promising. While not interested in trotting, Mr. Stead said that New Zealand had sixty days yearly of this sport for substantial stakes and purses Most of the horses are of American breeding or from blood imported from the United States.
