view raw text
MOUNTED SERVICE ENDURANCE TEST Regulations and Plans Approved by tho War Department and Other Authorities NEW YORK N Y April 00 The endurance test for the Tinted States Mounted Service Cup will be most complete judged by the arrangements and details already completed although the event does not take place until October 11 The sponsors of this unique performance are the Arabian Horse Club of America the National Steeplechase and Hunt Club the American Hackney Horse Society and the Morgan Horse Club the proposed contest being still open to owners and breeders of thoroughbreds trotters and all other types as entries do not close until September 15 15The The test and plans have been approved by the War Department the Chief of the Army Remount Service and the Chief of the Bureau of Animal In ¬ dustry Department of Agriculture lu fact offi ¬ cials from each department have participated in arranging the details The primary purpose of tin test is to stimulate Interest in the production of saddle horses possessed of stamina endurance con ¬ formation soundness and other necessary qualities which will render them suitable for use in the mounted service of the Iliited States for which there long has been a great scarcity scarcityfhe fhe socalled route for the endurance test will be over a distant of 300 miles starting from Fort Ethan Allen Vt and ending at Camp Devcns Mass In drafting the conditions particular attention has been paid to test the horse not the rider although it is fully appreciated that the human factor cannot be entirely eliminated The entries therefore are not confined to the military service and the sponsors earnestly hope that as many civilian horse ¬ men as have the right If hid of Americanbred horses eligible under the conditions will enter and partici ¬ pate pateThe The distance will be divided to five days with sixty miles per day although it may vary slightly according to available stabling accommodations on the line of march provided all shall stop at the same place midday and night the turnings over the entire distance being marked at each mile mileThree Three judges already selected will have absolute power to supervise conduct regulate and determine all questions the same as judges of a race meet ¬ ing or horse show ring their orders indi ¬ vidually or collectively to be strictly obeyed by all competitors except in the final disqualification of any entrant which will be decided by the full board of three judges Any horse can be dis ¬ qualified when In the opinion of the judges its condition is such as to render it cruel or inad viablc to permit him to proceed farther fhe power of the judges begins at the starting point and continues until the final cligiblcs have been given the finishing tests and prizes awarded to the winners under the conditions conditionsTHE THE OFFICIALS WHO AVILL SERVE SERVEThe The Judges are Major C A Bcnton of New York member of the remount board Major Henry Leonard of Colorado Springs Colo and Washing ¬ ton D C and Harry Worcester Smith of AVor cester Mass An officer appointed by the chief of the Army Remount will act as judge of weights with such assistants as he requires He will superintend and record the weights and measures in connection with the test and also record weight and measure of feed issued to each contestant Horses will be weighed on the afternoon prior to the first day of the test and again at the con ¬ clusion of the test while riders and equipment will be weighed each morning and evening during the five days daysA A veterinarian will be in attendance but his services can be secured only by application to the judges and rendered by their approval but without charge The services of a farrier may be secured when needed but in case a horse requires a nejv shoe it must be taken from the extra carried by the rider and another shoe imt in or its equivalent in weight Each rider is required to feed and can for bis OXVH mount also his own equipment and the only assistance he can have will be the same as a soldier might expect from another unless al loxvtil by the judges Owners their agents and any others are forbidden to coach instruct or convey any information K riders during the day except at the noon feeding hour hourContesting Contesting horses will not be allowed to bo shod with rubber pads or special shoeing other than they would rcceixe on active army service in the titId No contestant can use anythiig for the can of his horse which is not carried in his equipment unless authorized to do so by the judges in writing Each rider shall continue through from start to linish with his horse unless excused by the judges for illness or emergency in which case the owner or his agent can designate another rider by the ap ¬ proval of the judges judgesAfter After an entry lias been ridden by two riders and both excused the judges may at their discretion disqualify the entry or allow a third rider to enter the contest Riders must always be in the saddle xxhen the horse is in motion Although the final scoring feed will count only 10 points yet that fea ¬ ture xvill he most minutely attended to as having an important bearing All feed will be issued by tin judge of weights and xvill consist of whole or ground oats corn bran and hay and records kept for each contestant also salt when desired desiredPlain Plain water mut be used for horses and they can be watered xvhei required There will 1 it three feeds daily morning midday and evening while stalls must be bedded l y shavings All con testing horses shall be regarded as under the super ¬ vision of the judges from just prior to the morning feed on the day of start until the final test has been completed completedWEIGHT WEIGHT TO BE CARRIED CARRIEDThe The weight carrying rule requires 45 pounds for iaeh contestant 115 pounds for riders minimum and 10 pounds of the dead weight required to be car ¬ ried bv a 1 S cavalry soldier including everything except the bridle If a rider weighs more than 145 pounds he is required to carry the 100 equipment weight but if at the start or during the test he weighs less he must carry dead weight on his person or saddle saddleHorses Horses entered must be owned in the United States either stallions mares or geldings but must slioxv a fouryearold moiith or attained that age Their eligibility must be further governed by be ¬ longing to out of the folloxving classes classesPurebred Purebred A horse that is cither duly registered In a recognized stud book or its pure breeding is furnished to the satisfaction of the judges judgesCrossbred Crossbred A horse the sire or dam of which is Hire bred and registered in any recognized stud liook or prove so to the satisfaction of the judges judgesGrade Grade A horse of which cither the sire or dam is not pure bred or registered in a recognized stud luKik as long as one of the parents is pun bred bredfhe fhe conditions of all contestants at t a m day ifter the finish of the test will count 50 per cent in making final awards This xvill be determined ii the basis of the horses ability to continue further under same circumstances his freedom from injury blemish unsounduess diie to work in the test or any indications of defect apparent to the judges A marked or continued leaving of reed will count against the horse horseSpeed Speed will count 40 points and reckoned from the time the contestant is checked out in the morning the time checked in in the evening the midday reeding time counted against it as though used in travel over the course Each contestant niust cover the daily distance of sixty miles in thirteen hours r less but not permitted to make it in less than line hours The allotted period therefore is thir ¬ teen and nine hours respectively inclusive of all stops stopsFeed Feed will count 10 points and regulated by the iudge of weights grazing being permitted During the final judging on the morning after the last lay the judges at their discretion may require jther trials for condition and speed as they see fit fitThere There will be six prizes First prize with blue ibbon and a SISOO mounted service cup to be con ¬ tested for annually until same owner wins three times each winner keeping it one year Second irize and red ribbon 400 third or yellow ribbon mil 300 fourth or white ribbon and SJOO fifth jr gray ribbon and 150 and sixth or black anil vhite ribbon and 100
