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MAJOR BEARD PRAISES TEXAS Believes Lone Star State Healthy Spot for Breeding Horses. Sends Boojam for Health Treatment and Horse Improves Rapidly Visiting Mother in Houston. HOUSTON, Texas, Dec. 21. "The state of Texas is a wonderful place in which to raise horses, and in recent years has made a spectacular rise to a position of prominence in the thoroughbred industry," declared Maj. Louie A. Beard, noted horseman, manager of the far flung thoroughbred interests of the Whitney family today. Major Beard is in Houston for several days visiting his mother, Mrs. Laura Beard during the Christmas holidays. Major Beard, whose duties carry him to all sections of the country, was truly enthusiastic over the success enjoyed by Texas breeders in recent seasons. "Texas always has raised fine horses with only mediocre opportunities in the past," he said. "There were very few outstanding sires or mares in service here in former years, but the interest of such men as Emerson Woodward, T. P. Morgan, the Klebergs, who own King Ranch, the Waggoner brothers and several others in large scale breeding has produced the results that horsemen and breeders everywhere always knew could be obtained. BREEDERS NEED RACING. "The lack of racing in Texas has always worked a hardship on Texas breeders, as it removed the logical market for homebred stock, and under those conditions it is no wonder that such men as George Schreiner, P. L. Fuller and other older breeders curtailed their activities. "The brief sojourn of legalized racing in Texas was a great stimulant to breeding in the state, and in recent years Texas breeders have greatly extended their holdings. For the first time good stallions and good mares in abundance are standing in this state and the result of this is already apparent on the race courses around the country, where Texas-breds have long ago established themselves as sturdy, durable and capable runners. N "Because I have long had great faith in the excellence of Texas as a health spot for horses, we chose it for an experiment with one of the Whitneys outstanding sires," declared Major Beard. BOOJUM EXPERIMENT. "In Boojum, owned by C. V. Whitney, we have a truly great sire, but in the past he has not been sure with his mares and has consequently had only a very few foals, though each and every one of them have been of high quality. After due deliberation we decided to give him a nature treatment and let the hot Texas sun get in its healing work, so Boojum was sent to King Ranch for the season of 1938. And it has worked vonders with the horse. He is so greatly improved that we are bringing him back to the Whitney farm for the season of 1940 and have every reason to believe that his trouble has been, or will be by that time, completely cured. He will again stand at i King Ranch in 1939 and remain there for the rest of the year." Major Beards duties carry him to all parts of the country and he declares that racing is in a very healthy condition everywhere. In spots where conditions have been poor for several seasons, this year showed definitely that the sport is on the upgrade. In fact, the sport is booming to such an extent that there is a real scarcity of good horses. There are not nearly enough to fill the demand and breeders everywhere are greatly increasing their activities and enlarging their holdings. Major Beard will return to Kentucky in time to attend the dispersal sale of the late E. F. Simms Xalapa Farms, January 19.
