HERE AND THERE.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13270, 22 November 1911, Page 4

HERE AND THERE.

SPORTSMEN'S STRANGE HOBBY

There was a somewhat unpleasant incident at the Yarmouth raco meeting caused by a curious hobby which is growing increasingly popular among lovers of racehorses (says the "Standard"). A horse suddenly lasii. od out with its hools, ami a man who was behind it narrowly escaped serious injury. The trainer spoko to the man angrily, and when asked to explain the incident the trainer said that many people made collections of the hairs from famous horses. Ordinarily they wrote to the owner or trainer for them, but there were a certain number of men who tried to make a few shillings by plucking them from the horses at different .meetings. It appears that there are many such collections, and ono of them recently changed hands for twenty guineas. Such a price is above the average, but this collection contained sixty hairs, three from each of the tails of twenty winners of classic races, amongst them being Galopin, Ormonde, Flying Fox, Sceptre, Ard Patrick, Rock Sand, Pretty Polly, and Spearmint, the genuineness being vouched for by letters from the various owners and trainers.