A VETERAN JUMPER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2, 29 April 1912, Page 7

A VETERAN JUMPER.

A' horse that has been jumping in competitions for twenty years, and at the age of 24 is still able to clear six feet with several inches to spare, arrests attention. "Desmond, the animal in question, belongs to New South Wales, and has long been a familiar figure at the Royal and other shows. He is the oldest juniper performing to-day with such a degree of success, and is reputed to lie the most intelligent animal in Australian show rings. His rider walks him slowly up to the 'harrier, and then the old horse wallcs leisurely back a few paces, wheels, makes a dash, takes elf with fine judgment, lifts his forelegs skilfully over the obstacle, and gives a cunning twist to his hind hoofs that carries them clear. He then takes a nibble of grass as a reward, and walks quietly round to the squad to await his next turn. He neither frets nor prances; his policy is the minimum of waste and the maximum of power at tin 1 right moment. But the Desmond of to-day is naturally not the Desmond of yore. At the show this year (iff. I in. was his best, which is a big falling off from his 6ft. 10m. in 1907, a record for the ground. The following year Lady Morton beat the redoubtable grey with Oft. Din., but Desmond won in 1000 with. Oft. Tin. In 1010 Mahonga defeated Desmond with oft. Gin., and in \hc following year Melha, with oft. fin., saw the old grey running second. "Taking the grey's performances year after year they are wonderful," says the Herald, "since his compeers of the day often vanished from the scene and fresh relays appeared the following year, only to find the champion either victor or very close up." Desmond's record is net the Australian one, that stands at: over 7ft., but none of the horses that have cleared more than oft. lOin. have stood the test of time as Desmond has done. It is small wonder that when he failed in the high jump at Sydney the other day the 50,000 spectators gave him rousing cheers in recognition of his green old age.