view raw text
STEEPLECHASING HELP TO SPORT. Prominent Men Take Up Flat Racing After Introduction Through Cross-Country Field. J. Howard Lewis was discussing the prospects of steeplechasing recently when he ventured the remark tluit for prospective progress .and usefulness past and present,- the sport through the field deserved no lower rank than flat racing pure and simple. "You and I," ho said, "both remember well when a steeplechaser meant a flat racer which had bowed or broken down outright and then had been patched up for the cross-country sport. Of course, some of these old fellows were fast and game, but even the Best of them had such bad legs that they were liable to go down in almost any kind of a jumping race. In the nature of things the steeplechaser of those old days could llot be a valuable horse, and men of means who indulged in it were apt to reganl their jumpers as mere betting propositions rather than aand turf heroes; no matter how many races they might happen to have survived. "Then" came a time when the admirers of the cross-country sport conceived the idea of hunting for better material to educate for jumping races. They found absolutely sound young horses which had what one might call the jumping conformation. These were horses which had such depth through the heart region as would insure an abundance of liing space, an oblique shoulder, rather high withers, strong lifting muscles, and strong, sound legs to land upon after getting over a jump. Such horses would learn quickly that they could depend upon their legfef being strong and nimble enough to enable hem to get away from a jump quickly, and they would lose no time in fully getting into their stride again after clearing an obstacle. Foundation of Good Jumpers of Today. "They had strong loins and. quarters which gave them .great weight-carrying and driving power, while their splendid lung power enable them to cover a long stilt course without being distressed at the finish. They came to be strong, safe jumpers, quick recoverers, and to show high speed between jumps. Here was tlie foundation of the good American- steeplechaser of today. Of course, such horses, educated from early colthood with the winning of steeplechases in view, were able to put upon the shelf the half wornout and more than half broken down flat racers, quickly, and, although somerof those old fellows put up a good, game fight, they had- in the nature of things to succumb to the younger and sound horse which not only had been educated for the sport, but which had actually been bred and selected for It. Thus it was that a new era dawned Upon steeplechasing on this side of the Atlantic- It was found that there was no more uncertainty-in breeding- for the cross-country sport than in .breeding flat racers. "Haying gone thus far toward putting the crosscountry sport upon a firm footing the rallying of devotees of the sport ey.oked no effort at all. Gentlemen and ladies who were fond of turf sports and out-of-doors pastimes, especially riding to the hounds, were only too glad to find that the steeplechaser and his less aspiring Drother, the hunter, hail become a regular, purchasable commodity, and it was but a -short step from rivalry among hunters to rivalry in the show ring and in the steeple--chase field. Amateur Steeplechasing Became. Popular. "Amateur steeplechasing" became one of the most popular "of pastimes for ladies and gentlemen of means, and then amateur hunt meetings led up to such splendid, results sis the meetings at Piping Bock and the other hunt meetings, which undoubtedly have been a powerful and effective factor in bringing the regular racing and steeplechasing back into popular" favor with the general public. "The influence, of thp progress which has been made in steeplechasing as a factor to the success of racing over the Jockey Club and other reputable tracks has been, still more far-reaching. Amateur horsemen and horsewohien have begun with the cross-country sport, and then "have extended the sphere of their opera turns to flat racing of the highest, class. Among fhose who have taken up flat racing Serionsly after -having been introduced to racing through the cross-country sport may be mentioned shch turfmen as S. D: -Riddle, Samuel Wil- j lets; of Roslyn, L. I.;f R. L. Gerry and Edward McLean, while it is rumored that Mr. and Mrs. Hitt may enter seriously info the breeding and developing ft young steeplechaser oh tneir splendid Virginia" farm." , . .
