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Apprentice Eldon Nelson Is QuarterHorse Race Graduate Was Discovered by Friend of Herbert M Woolf and Went To Work for Latter s Stable StableBy By TEDDY COX COXARLINGTON ARLINGTON PARK Arlington Heights HI June 24 Glen Eldon Nelson Sr is a carpenter by trade and for many years has been hoping that the day will come when he will be able to build his own home of his own design Materialization of his dreams may not be far off for his son Glenn Eldon Nelson Jr is earning im ¬ portant money most of which is being banked with the new family homestead as the goal Young Nelson currently is the leading apprentice rider in Illinois and many competent horsemen believe him to be one of the finest prospects ever devel ¬ oped in the Prairie State He is a natural lightweight and the fact that he is 21 years old gives him an edge over most of the younger apprentices who often grow out of the saddle before they have reached their peak in efficiency efficiencyNelson Nelson was born at Tonkwa Okla but shortly thereafter was moved to Ponca City where he attended school and later worked in a filling station When World War H hostilities broke out Nelsons at ¬ tempt to get in uniform was thwarted by his 90 pounds so he returned to his duties at the filling station In and around Ponca quarterhorse races on Sunday aft ¬ ernoons are extremely popular so after attending these impromptu events for a number of years he finally accepted a mount lucked as he says his way to victory and eventually became a star reins man in that form of racing racingRecommended Recommended to Woolf WoolfEldon Eldon as he is known obtained his foundation in riding when his father op ¬ erated a farm several years ago They had several saddle horses and part of Nel ¬ sons chores were to care for them Some three years ago Joe Mackey a friend and neighbor of Herbert M Woolf owner of the Woolford Farm at Kansas City Kan at ¬ tended the Ponca City quarterhorse races and was quite impressed by Nelsons abil ¬ ity He sought out the youngster told Jiim of his association with Woolf and offered to recommend the boy for a job Nelson was elated over the idea and within a few weeks received a letter from George Wahl man manager of the Woolford Farm FarmHe He quickly packed his belongings and reported for work Wahlman started him out galloping easy horses and as he be ¬ came more accomplished he was allowed to break yearlings and breeze the toughest thoroughbreds on the farm Nelson says Wahlman was wonderful to him offering advice not only in horsemanship but how to conduct himself away from the tracks as well wellTwo Two years ago Nelson was sent to the training stable then handled by Eddie Anspach and began there as one of the top exercise boys in the barn He later worked under Leonard J Wilson Ross O Higdon and presently his superior was Johnny Nerud Anspach Wilson and Hig ¬ don contributed much to the lads develop ¬ ment but possibly most of the credit be ¬ longs to Nerud who has been with the youngster since he came from the farm Before he was promoted to the trainers post Nerud was stable agent for the Wool ford organization He took an immediate interest in Nelson and was his friend and adviser while the turnover of trainers was taking place placeNerud Nerud High on Boy BoyA A veteran around horses and jockeys Nerud thinks Nelson is the finest prospect hes ever seen seenFirst First of all says Johnny hes a little gentleman He has no bad habits saves his money and works hard at his job There is no horse too hard for him to handle in the morning and in the after ¬ noon his riding seems to improve with every race raceAlthough Although presently he tips the scales at 97 pounds and can do 100 pounds with full tack without too much trouble Nelson is a veritable Hercules of the jockeys room He is molded along the same lines as Jim Londos the famous wrestler or among the riders his physique resembles that of Conn McCreary Nerud says his powerful shoulders gives him an edge over many of the comparatively skinny reinsmen reinsmenNelson Nelson rode some 35 horses before win ¬ ning his first race that big moment arriv ¬ ing on March 24 of this year at Tropical Park He swung into his best stride during the recent Lincoln Fields meeting when he rode 17 winners distancing all of his apprentice foes although he was unable to beat out the veteran Tony Skoronski SkoronskiThe The lad thinks the fact that he is nat ¬ urally lefthanded gives him an advantage although through much practice he has learned to use the other hand in whipping with equal facility He isnt much con ¬ cerned about the time when his riding days are over Im overIm trying to get enough money to ¬ gether to get that home for Mom and Pop he said yesterday in the jockeys room If I ever manage to get that far I will start thinking about other things
