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PRESERVATION OF RACING Breeders Association of England Renders Timely Aid. Through Its Intervention War Cabinet Relents, on Drastic Curtailment of Sport. Lexington, Ky., December 25. The first annual report of the Thoroughbred Breeders Association, of which Lord DAbernon is president, and Edward Moorhouse is secretary, has just been received from London by Kentucky members of the Thoroughbred Horse Association. The English organization was formed out of a conference of the bloodstock breeders in Great Britain and Ireland, which was held in the Tatter-sails Subscription Room at Knightbridge on May 14. The membership numbers 139 of tlie most prominent personages of the turf in the country that has mothered the thoroughbred horse breeding industry in the world. Included are the Dowager Marchioness of Londonderry, Lady James Douglas, Countess Fitzwilliam, Lady Fitz Gerald, Mrs. Cra-dock, Hon. Lady McCalmont, Karl of Lonsdale, Karl of Carnarvon, Earl of Harewood, Marquis of Anglesey, Marquis of Londonderry, Lord Stanley, Lord "Middleton, Viscount Allendale. Sir Gilbert Green-all, Sir W. Tatem, Sir M. Sykes. Sir W C. Dunbar. Sir George Bullough. Col. W. Hall Walker, J. Musker, Major Logan Kidston, James Buchanan, Sir J. Robinson, E. Summerville Tattersall, Donald Eraser, Major Waldorf Astor, S. B. Joel, Captain It. Brassey, Sir Walter Gilbey, It. S. Sievier, Brigadier General M. Little, Major Hugh Peel and others. The report begins with a brief review of "the events which led to the formation of tlie Association." in the course of which it is stated that "last March there appeared in certain newspapers letters from readers who protested against the continuance of racing during war time. This was a recrudescence, in a more virulent form, of a. similar agitation that was carried on a few months earlier. In April, when the seriousness of unrestricted warfare became apparent, it was alleged that horses in training were consuming an excessive quantity of oats, and exaggerated statements were made concerning the number of race horses actually in commission. Before it was possible for breeders and others to present authoritative rebutting evidence, it was announced on April 29 that the stewards of tlie Jockey Club, having received an intimation that the War Cabinet considers it undesirable that further racing should take place after the First Spring meeting May 1-4, have cancelled all 1917 fixtures after that date. "Rumors that the government intended to impose further restrctions on racing had been current for some days prior to the issue of this declaration, but no one imagined their edict would be of so drastic and serious a character. At a meeting of the Jockey Club held the following day, Lprd Derby stated that the prohibition of racing was due to the be-lief that public opinion, which was shared by members of the cabinet, was opposed to racing at the present moment and it was therefore advisable, for that reason and in view of the fact that severe restrictions would be placed on the provision of oats, that after the Newmarket First Spring week, there should be no more racing as long as the war lasted. NEED OF ORGANIZATION OBVIOUS. "The need for an organization posessing authority to speak and act in the name of the great horse-breeding industry, thus threatened with disaster, was now obvious." The details of the formation of the organization are given and then follows an account of the concerted effort which resulted in the announcement at the end of June that the "War Cabinet had decided that racing might be resumed," and that "the breeders and other supporters of racing learned with satisfaction that forty days racing would be permitted during the remainder of the season and that meetings away from Newmarket would be allowed subject to the sanction of the Avar office, the ministry of munitions and the board of trade." The officials of the Thoroughbred Breeders Association, at a meeting on July 0, wrote to the prime minister, expressing appreciation of the solution of the problem and saying "we are specially pleased to find that the decision of the War Cabinet is based on the national importance of horse breeding. Throughout the recent controversy the action of the Thoroughbred Breeders Association has been founded entirely on the interdependence of racing and horse breeding. This indissoluble relationship has now- been convincingly demonstrated and proved. Those engaged in thf horse breeding industry venture to hope that, when relieved of tlie anxiety and pressure of work during the war, the government will see its way to giving them more direct encouragement and assistance." The report further says, after recounting suggestions that were made by the association growing out of a meeting of its directors or committee, as they are termed, "in September: "Members will have noted with satisfaction that the stewards of the Jockey Club have been able to arrange fixtures for next season which will provide eighty days racing. This appears to be a solution upon which nil who have taken part in the negotiations may be congratulated. It is also to be noted that where fixtures have been allotted on dates approximate or corresponding to those meetings for which races have already been closed, it is an instruction to clerks of courses that such races should, where possible, be included in the program of the meeting. This stipulation goes some considerable way in the direction recommended by your committee and it is an innovation greatly to be welcomed." RACING SHOWN IN TRUE LIGHT. The report says further that while the associations officers and committee do not wish to claim an "undue share of credit for enabling the government to realize the gravity of the mischief that would have been wrought by a prolonged stoppage of racing, they feel they may rightly assert that the conference and the association rendered every op-portune and material service in placing before the public evidence of the fact that horse breeding depends upon racing and cannot successfully be carried on without it. Many who had been unbelievers were convinced of the essential value and indispenslbility of racing to horse breeding. Some good, therefore, came out of the evil that descended upon us. Indeed, it may justly be claimed that the bloodstock breeder is today regarded as a more important member of the community, and racing is now viewed in a different light by -those in authority than at the end of April." In conclusion, the report says: "The Thorough-continued oh second pace. PRESERVATION OF RACING Continued from first page. lived Breeders Association provides the organization by means of which necessary united effort may be utilized to the best advantage. It lias been called into being to promote and safeguard the interests of the breeder of thoroughbred liorscs. Inasmuch as the thoroughbred is the foundation on which all : other light horses more especially the hunter and the nrmy remount are based, the associations sphere, of action in not sectional only, but national. Wo nuiy go even further and claim it is world-wide, because the horse breeders of all other nations look to Britisli breeders to preserve the purity, the qualify and the characteristics of the thoroughbred."
