RACING AND WAR

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue LXXXVIII, 12 September 1914, Page 10

RACING AND WAR

♦■ , Recently we republished from the. Otago Witness some figures showing a relation between racing and war, and how the Continental Powers almost)" 1 entirely relied upon the thoroughbred as a basis for horsing their armies. It is quite clear (writes "Sentinel") that some of the great nations encouraged racing more with the object of building up the breed of arniy horses than with any great desire to cater for the pleasure of their people, although wise rulers always ease the rigorous side of their administration by seeing that "Jack" does not become an idle boy as a result of an all-work-and-no-play regime. The breeding o£ the thoroughbred and stock carrying a considerable amount of thoroughbred blood is. extensively encouraged by Russia, Germany, France, and Austria.Hungary. These countries, however, do not go in exclusively for the above strain, but .also allow the trotter to receive a vast amount of recognition, even though military men, who have the horsing of an army as one of their principal duties or desires, are not keen on employing much of the. stock bred on the light-harness lines. It must, however, .be understood that the trotter of Russia "Ls not the same as that of America. The former country developed the Orloif breed of trotter, and in latter years, some valuable importations have been made from America ; but, in the mam, the pacer is not looked upon with favour even if not absolutely barred. In fact, American importations mad© by Russia consist entirely of high-class stallions with a square trotting gait, or mares that possess the same action. Duiing 1913 Russia gave •considerably over £500,000 in stakes for trotting events, which were decided upon the 72 tracks in the country. The bulk of this money was hung up in purses given-at Moscow and Eetvograd (formerly known prior-to the war as St. Peterburg ; but we must observe the desire of our Allies), where tho racing is under the direct patronage of the Tsar, who thus gives great encouragement to the sport. Austria-Hungary gave something about £140,000 in stakes for trotters during the 1913 season, and this country maintains 31 trotting tracks, where American blood and American methods of developing the breed are much in evidence. France comes next in the list, and she mostly goes in for racing under saddle. In the 1913 season France gave something around £110.000 in stakes for trotters, and has no fewer than 440 tracks. Germany also provides in a liberal manner for the trotter, and gave away over £80,000 in stakes last year. Denmark, Belgium, and Italy each give a large sum in stakes for the same sport ; but it is not on such a large scale as the above-mentioned countries, although both Denmark and Italy hung up over £20,000 last year. From what has been, published in these columns it will be seen that horse-breeding is most lavishly catered for by the groat Continental Powers, and the population of each country pays the bulk of the cost by support given to racing in both its branches. In other countries not hard to locate racing — and consequently breeding — has been looked upon with a mighty and forbidding frown, except, perhaps, during the past .weeks.