Younger Lorillard Taking His Turn: Pierre Jr. Emulating His Father and Grandfather in Breeding High Grade Horses, Daily Racing Form, 1917-09-18

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YOUNGER LORILLARD TAKING HIS TURN Pierre Jr. Emulating His Father and Grandfather in Breeding High Grade Horses. By C. J. Fitz Gerald. Pierre Lorillard, Jr., New York state fair Commissioner, having to do with the horse show activities of the big exhibition at Syracuse, which is an event in the life of every farmer in the Empire state, Js the third of his name that has taken an interest in the : development of the best equine types in the United States. He inherits his love of the horse from his father, who has raced thoroughbreds at different periods, and from his grandfather, who was a sportsman of international renown, having owned Iroquois, winner of the Epsom Derby and a number of other racers whose names are part of the history of the turf in this country and abroad. Mr. Lorillard drove his own trotting mare Notice B., by Almonarch, the half-bred son of Almont Hi, by Asteroid, in a race against some of the leading professional reinsmen of the country on Tuesday last, and while he is fond of the harness horse, he is also devoted to the hunter, and through that useful animal to the thoroughbred whose blood is necessary in the establishment and development of that popular type. In commenting upon the Jockey Clubs prize of 00 for yearlings sired by the Breeding Bureau stallions, which is a feature of the fair, Mr. Lorilliard remarked: "Only those farmers and breeders who live in a community where a thoroughbred sire of the Breeding Bureau is located have any knowledge of the type, and, I believe it would be a good move to have as many of these stallions as possible shown at the State Fair every year. Such an exhibition would be educational. The farmer would get some idea of the qualities for which the thoroughbred is famous, and his interest In the juvenile half-bred classes would be quickened by having some knowledge of the sire. Then if he could be told something about the breeding of the same it would be helpful in the establishment of type. That after all should be the primary function of an exhibition such as the State Fair has become. SERVICE SHOULD BE IMPROVED. "We havent perhaps reached that point," continued Mr. Lorillard, "where the state would be prepared to make a special grant to cover a portion of the expense of bringing horses from a distance, as they do in some other countries, but the importance of this type of horse at this time would make the outlay wortli -while. There would, perhaps, be a clamor from those interested in other types of so-called pure bred horses, cattle and swine, but there are few persons who have given the matter of live stock improvement any study -who would not agree that such methods would work out advantageously all around. I would favor the offering of smaller prizes and have more of them, after the method followed in England, where the kings premiums are such a success. Any funds which could be spared could be devoted to a plan which would bring out representative fields for the breeding classes. "The federal government," resumed the commissioner, "has a duty in this connection which it cannot ignore much longer. The time is at hand when they must give the matter of horse production, particularly those of the army type, both cavalry and artillery, the attention it receives in almost every Other Country in the world. It is a big problem and in the establishment of the few stations such as that at Front Royal in Virginia they have merely scratched the surface of the ground. CROSSES WHICH ARE NEEDED. "What -method would I recommend? I would place in every horse breeding community the proper type of sire to get the horses that modern warfare has found niost necessary. The farmers and horse breeders may be relied upon to furnish the mares if the -government will only pay a price that will make the industry worth while." Mr. Lorillard, like many other students of the army horse problem, particularly the remount arm of the service, is a firm believer in the thorough-brcd-standard-bred cross. Eacli family has its good qualities, he says, and both of these possess in a superlative degree that courage and stamina which is a heritage from racing tests and which a cavalry horse must have in order to meet the exigencies of "modern warfare. Ho also believes in a spectacular appeal of racing and would favor the construction of a steeplechase field at the Fair Grounds,, so that those from the rural communities may see the thoroughbred in action. The present track is too hard for flat racing, and the subways for traffic beneath it would prevent the construction of a grass course Within the mile circuit. A figure eight steeplechase course could, however, be built and another year may find it completed and some spirited contests staged for the great gatherings which assemble daily during the second week in September.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1917091801/drf1917091801_2_3
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Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800