ROUGH – HOUSE RIDING LAWFUL.

NZ Truth, Issue 771, 14 August 1920, Page 7

ROUGH - HOUSE RIDING LAWFUL.

In The Old Days. From an exchange I learn that horseracing m England m the "good old days" was a strenuous game for the saddleforkers, particularly In match races. The greater a plug-ugly a jockey was, the better match-rider he was considered. Anything short of man-slaughter m a : match was not only pardonable and per- ' missible, but desirable, provided a win resulted. One of the old rules read: "Crossing and jostling allowed m matches if no agreement to the contrary." It was not until 1792 that the then prototype of the English Jockey Club woke up to the fact that the "all m" rule was a bit too bloodthirsty, and it decreed "that when any match is made m which crossing and jostling are not mentioned, they shall be understood to be barred." At this stage the matchmakers could still mutually agree to Donnybrook rules and 'the Lancashire Law of hit, kick, bite or gouge. Later on the rulers of racing cut the rough stuff out. To-day It is so fined down j that "Interference" of any sort is pro- j hlblted. Accepting my exchange Is right, <. a match over Newmarket m those days must have been as lively as a dog fight, and on much the same lines.