A MODERN DICK TURPIN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 1 September 1923, Page 7

A MODERN DICK TURPIN

AN ARAB STALLION’S RIDE

LONDON, July 7

In these molor-obsossed days, it is refreshing to road oi a ride on horseback all tho way from Loudon to York. The hero of tho occasion is Mr TyrwhittDrake, who completed his 200 milo journey from liOiidon to York on his Arab stallion, the Sheik, in days. The last stage of the journey was ono of 28 miles, from Askern, north of Doncaster, which Mr Tyrwhitt-Drake left at 4 a.m. At Selby he went to the Old George Inn, where Dick Turpin is reported to have stopped for refreshments. The rider’s journey from the city boundary to the Mansion House, Fork, where he arrived at noon, was a triumphant progress. The Lady Mayoress placed a white rose in the Sheik’s bridle and she gave the gleaming bay horse its first feed in York, holding up to him a bucket of oats. Mr Tynvhitt-Drako dismounted ana handed to the Lord Mayor the letter which he had brought from tho Lord Mayor of London. Mr Tvrwhitt-Drakc said that he undertook the trip to see if it was possible for a horse in 1923 to do rather better than a horse did in 1823. “I believe the old stage coaches used to do the journey in about two days, he commented. "I have taken four and a quarter days, so you will naturally say, ‘You have "lost bv two and a quarter days'; but, I do not think that is so in view of the fact htal the stage coaches changed horses every eight or 12 miles, and that my horse has not been changed.” ‘‘The Sheik proved itself equal to the task,” he said late, "but, I do not think many horses could have stood it. because the roads are terribly hard. There is no ‘give’ in them. Horses get. shaken and are liable to strain the tendons of their legs.” Mr Tyr\\hit,t-Drake refused to express an opinion on the rubber-stu Tcled shoes which the Sheik wore on the last part of the journey ,as he had not- givey.them a long enough trial, but said that horses using modern roads would have to war some rubber device on tho hoofs to pio vent slipping. ' „ Mr Tynvhitt-Drako Had difficulty m looking after his horse on the trip. At the old coaching inn. where, it was intended that the Sheik should be a-win-mods ted at York, no suitable loose box was available and lie bad to be put up at some stables in another part, of the town, , Mr Tyrwhitt-Drake is sending. a report on" the journey to the DirectorGeneral of Roads, at the Ministry of Transport.