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FUTURE OF HUNT CLUB RACING Amateur Sportsmen Keenly An ¬ swered Call of Their Country Great Demand for Horses Amateur and Professional ProfessionalEiders Eiders Scarce Iy Frank J Itryan Hunts Committee CommitteeThe The practical suspension of hunt race meetings during the last two summers can ba explained witSi ji brief slogan which has told and will tell for all tin the UIUM Silks were put aside for khaki khakiWith With the first cull that came from AVashington telling that the liour had arrived for our men to do their jurt in crushing the enemy of tiie worlds dec ncv thought of self if pleasures or pastimes was simply secondary if not forgotten entirely aim the roster of those that stopped forward from the day of the call will show the names of hun ¬ dreds of those who by hard work sincerity of interest and genuine sportsmanship had earned the right to be classed as real lovers of the best in racing racingThis This rally to the service of the country in all tie purtments was something that exceeded even tin hope of those who knew full well the loyalty of the friends of the hunt meetings Each day found the list of those eager to do their part Kroniug greater until the numbers in uniform made even the thought of a race meeting tlie next thing to impossible AVitli the masters of fox ¬ hounds the showing was fully as creditably although ihis meant the service of older men Owners and trainers rnblxrs and exercise Inds directors and officials simply gave TV the sport of which they vrew no Justly proud eager to be in the lineup for Hie work ahead aheadSPORTSMEN SPORTSMEN ANSWERED COUNTRYS CALL CALLin in every branch of the service they have been do ¬ ing their bit with all the spirit and vim that was vident in their connection with racing From major general to the most humble position in the ranks of khakiclad as well as blue they have played a part and played it well Many have been lost to us for all time but they gave their lives willingly fighting for right and justice of a truly great cause which means that as Ions as racing Roes on tinre will Ixr no need of tlie jroH stars in the sirrirv flg to remind their fellow sports ¬ men of tlie sincerity of their purpose to the end endNow Now that the strife has cnil T with glorious credit to uir men and those of our allies and with 111 equal share of the glor for the women too thoughts naturally turn to the resumption of things jinJ conditions as they were before With Ixith tlie iinuy and navy forces being demobilized with tlu all for aid in war time utilities naturally re hici il with little need for our older men of ifflirs who have so brilliantly aided with their time and energy to the details of supply anil con ¬ struction it means a chance again for recreation and the taking up of things worth while Foremost of these is sure to be the reorganization of the Junt meetings There will be no need of any spttiii effort to bring about the revival Interest did not lessen it was simply that greater things called for attention attentionEven Even now plans are under way to provide for the joining yesir meetings at Piping Hock lielmont Park Terminal Meadow Itrook Rockaway Itrook line AAhite Marsh Rose Tree Wnrrentoii Runisun JYapack in Maryland and at other points when limit racing has been an established fixture AVitli the return to activity of the old organizations will come an initial bow from several new ones si few of which will l c invitation affairs that is on private grounds tendered by individuals to their friends similar to the splendid offering of Joseph JJ AVidener at his home Lymvood at Klkins 1jirk Jai l efore the war Here thousands were not ilone his guests for the day but they were ten eivd racing of the highest grade for rich prizts mid plate as a part of the entertainment entertainmentDEMAND DEMAND FOE HOUSES WILL BE G2EAT G2EATWith With the return of opportunities there is certain to e a great demand for horses which means i busy market during the winter months Stablrs that were reduced while owners were in service are oven now being replenished and the new ¬ comers have been and will continue to seek worthy representatives to carry their colors colorsThis This seems to bespeak great sport to come in fact the future of amateur racing as it is still styled despite tlif great merit already established looks more promising than ever in its history More Meetings richer prizes new recruits and keener interest all but guarantee success with racing as a whole sharing in the general result I make the 3atter claim unreservedly for several of the most 3 rominent owners patronizing the big tracks with worth while stables found their first interest at the hunt meetings in fact but for these modest fforts which brought thrills of the right sort ir is doubtful if they would have ever been heard of in the racing world Their value in the big sport cannot be estimated Their motive a desire to owji and race a good horse without thought of profit has brought into racing a virtue unfortunate ¬ ly too rare They are willing to and pay big prices litre and abroad with a hope of securing material worth while In every movement of public Interest for the welfare of the sport they can bs counted on to do their part With their interest that of sportsmanship alone motives cannot be Miiestioned Without seeking prominence they have Iwcome a really important factor in racing a needed lenient to keep it above the standards of commer ¬ cialism cialismEarly Early in January the masters of foxhounds in Oie several states will meet and elect for the en ¬ suing year their representatives on the hunts com ¬ mittee of the National Steeplechase and Hunt Association the governing power of amateur racing In February the new committee will meet and begin work and the prospects are that their labors will not In light That they will prove equal to the task is assured for the reason that no matter who snay be selected to take office the method of rjppointinent and the keen interest of those naming tlie representatives makes certain that they will be practical men menMost Most serious of the problems to be taken up seems to be that of finding material for the steeplechases that will be run The records for 1918 will show ji marked reduction In the number of horses devoted 1o this branch of the sport the shortage being entirely due to tlie fact that so many owners were away actively engaged in war work Some few of ourse continued to race but it was with old ma ¬ terial nnd on a limited scale under direction of tlieir trainers This support slight as it was must 10 appreciated for the real the only pleasure the owners of steeplechasers et is to see their colors in a nice This means that before spring rolls around old ntables must be reinforced and new ones provided vith horses of merit It takes time to make a jumper and this is thoroughly appreciated by those interested for with tlm signing of the armistice iiitl the knowing that there yinild soon be a chance to take up things normal again came a marked de ¬ mand for prospective jumpers This seeking has been continued without a letup and Ven now agents are looking for the right sort of young horsis in all parts of the country Price will not interfere with 11 purchase provided the makings are in evidence The months that will ellipse before the spring training begins will permit of the needed education It niay be a little early for predictions but a creful study of all conditions seem to justify a claim for crosscountry racing in 1019 that will make it a really great season of the sport between the flags flagsOne One of the hopeful signs is the number of three yearolds that were shown this fall Experts were of the opinion that not in years have so many of quality been out and the few races that were pro ¬ vided for them proved not alone their quality as to speed but their ability to jump If they winter well and there is every reason to think they will they will hell to make contests next year Com ¬ bined with the older ones of the tried division and the new ones that will be introduced the promise of fields of goodly proportions seems assured assuredAHATEUR AHATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL EIDERS EIDERSThe The question of riders both gentlemen and pro ¬ fessional calls lor serious consideration The ranks of both have been depleted by both death and wounds among those that gave their services to their country There has been little chance to refill the ranks reduced by tlje dearth of young men still the problem is certain to be solved by tlie attention and efforts that will be given It may mean that among the entleiuin riders the older men will be found again wearing silks but this will not be a serious drawback as many of them are clever horsemen with plenty of experience as race riders in fact some are inclined to think that having them participate will prove an advantage for the newcomers who will naturally be seeking a standard for their learning learningThere There will of course be a renewal of the army races and they will come back with a rather broader scope for it will mean that at least eighty per cent of those that have been classed as the amateur division will be eligible having put on a uniform and played their part in the service There serviceThere is work ahead to bring back old glories but the workers are many and the spirit keen Years ago n steeplechase enthusiast said to me Give me an open field with a bit of turf an ax and a wood where green things grow and Ill give you a course and a race to be proud of and be did didThose Those that love sport will find a way and so It will be with the devotees of hunt racing
