TALK OF THE DAY

Otago Witness, Issue 2842, 2 September 1908, Page 54

TALK OF THE DAY

jY SESTISEL. THE GENUINE UTILITY HORSE. Judging by the trend of the remarks made by the president of the New Zealand Trotting Association at its annual meeting held last week, the genuine utility hon»3 is to have ite interests better safeguarded in the future than it has in the past. Trotting clubs should not be content to merely supply that which is now compulsory under racing law for the protection of the trotter, but to prove their genuineness and thab they are really in existence for the improvement of the horso go further than they have up to date. Naturally, it is to the richest olubs that most help must be looked for. and the N.Z.M.T.C. should show the way in a much-to-be-desired improvement. All the amateur even-te^should be reserved for the pure-gaited trotters. This would entail no hardship if it is true that the Amateur ie there for sporting purposes only. It would at least have the effect of reducing the unwieldly fields which frequently contest these events; and another reason why they should be identified with the trotterj is because they are races usually selected to give horses their first run in public. This would give further inducement to "bring out horses as trotters, and once fairly started along that line, them should soon be less Te-ason to cavil et tha preponderance of the pacers. Hijfhclaes trotters .should, of course, also bo catered for, but -perhaps the beefc method of catering for the trotter of the future is f o-r olube. to give a. reasonable share _of itcvioe and amateur races to horses racing j without st-raps. When it is remembered I that the claims of the trotter were absolutely ignored a little over 12 months ago, and to-day it is comoukory to cater foe him, there is no doubt that a good deal has been achieved, but until our clubs voluntarily stand for the improvement they cannofc claim any credit for the existing modest, but nevertheless pleasing, recognition of the true light-harness hofee.