EXTRAORDINARY EQUESTRIAN FEAT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 129, 19 September 1876, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY EQUESTRIAN FEAT.

ONE BnMl81» •VItC.K.H EN" FlVtf £f>* A somewhat nwttef exhibition to<>k pUic'; on •Inly !•"> ,vR Miw tvfusweii llill Loon. & famous Mexicat: h»>nwbreaker, having hacked Himself to ride tOO mites in fttre ho«r»«t* ten Hor->' s | it; brought with Kirn From Mexico. Notwithstanding the tufcetuw heat, » t»cgw namber of peopte assembfe«t rotmd the trotting-path to witness ft feats which, till i(-; commenced,.no one knew whether it would most pesembfe Asfctey s of 2»ewmarket. Shortly after threw Le«>n made his appearance, ckvt in » Heavy ants »»f I'vwttft vet-vet, JtnU hut, anct tpuckly mounting onu of his mustangs, was off with a whoop. in an unknown tongue. It s'"»fi r however. _ became apparent that the genuine Newmarket element was riot wanting. JTho wiry-looking little horse, about fourteen hands high, was* not destitute of speed. The first mile occupied -'V minutes. At the conclusion Leort lightly vaulted upon (he back of a fresh horse, ready for htm, and wa» on again at a rapid pace, ♦'hanging horsus only took, at times, two* or three seconds, and a fresh hovae was taken a"; each ruble. Leon succeeded in riding gJio first 20 miles in "jomm. ufoccs. or ■train. 4sec». to the good. Aa the. ride progressed, Leon began slowly to divest llimscif of His heavy green velvet dress, und, considering the heat, it seems little .iltort of a mirn.de How a man, even accns- | timed to-a tropical sun, could have ridden tile pace he did, attired as he was. Leon itadset himself no mean task, and as it jpadtaaity became apparent that the atJair was not merely a »fw> w but an exhibition of real plttck and emtomwe, the excitement among the audience became intense. The umshTwas> of course, greatest around the ! pnrfe where Leon changed his horses. The mob* which had proved too fundi for the police, crowded round as he, after a time, scrambled, rather than sprang from back So- baefc, those who helped lum across. When mounted, however, cmo lash of his heavy whip and wave of his* hand arid he was «f? again, the niob> Hotting tip a genuine approving eHeer. After a while it became evident that the brave tutor would sttcceed. The # twites uccnpiwd ih. s'ituin. 4i3sec. ; the W> rotleav Ulv. BQmin. 2'Jstk. ; the B*> miles, 3ft. SOtnin. sysoc r ;. the DO, 4ft. 2min. At this time the excitement was very jjteat.. Leon,. who had labored under the gcuals disadvantage of having only seven mawail of ten horses, tneee not Having recovered from the effect of their late voyage, had now to chouse the freshest only of the seven <k* finish wish, the two bust being a tine dark brown horse called Tommy, with a white bkwe down its face liky the famous Blink Bonny, and a grey, tommy was vociferously cheered he (iilloped gamely round for two miles withLVstopptuif. Ttw» hwsw hftd the hotiov if carrying his rider the last mite, whtel* wis concluded in 4H. 4t»nvin. 53se*;.. from lie start.. Considering the tropical heat, t is qnestionabte- if any English horse »tttlit' be found to perfovtu a simitar feat !u Mint which thw seven wondertvd little imsf-.angs accottiplisheil. The fyat wfts no kntbt a great one ; bob it is not st* extra* n'dituu'y as the celobrated match of Mr. Mmideston, who undertook to rule 2*W> niies in ten hours at Newmarket, but was illowed an unlimited number of horses, mil' ase't no- les» tiwm twenty■■•fight. He wt'oumed Him task on- iSWembuv n Hh. •t'imiu.. i>v«jr a four-mile course on Wwarkot Efeath. In October, ITpE, tl'. W'ildw ivntlertook to fide i-7 English liWs in nine hours at tbe Curragh. and f'uipleted liis 6asfc in (f»h. 2liuin.., using i<n tiu>rougiibred horsi.-s, on a tv#o-mU«> ivoulaj? cotivsij.