Editorial. FROM BAD TO WORSE.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 April 1930, Page 5

Editorial. FROM BAD TO WORSE.

In again reverting to the decline of the riding art, one is apt 'to be classed with the Gloomy Dean, but the fact remains that the rising generation bf saddle-sitters falls far short of the standard required, and horse-owners, trainers, and the general . sporting public all complain bitterly of the deplorable state of affairs. During the Easter meetings the principal events throughout the Dominion were —for the most part —annexed by a handful of the leading jockeys, and this can only point to two things; that is, either they were fortunate enough to gain the best mounts, or their opponents in the pigskin were bad riders

At Feilding, after B. H. Morris, T. Green and T. Metcalf had left in the middle of the afternoon of the first day’s racing, the horsemanship was decidedly poor, and on the second day things .were even worse. It was unfortunate for with such lads holding the reins in large fields, all concerned lose confidence, and betting is cramped in consequence.

To quote a Northern owner: U I had a mug on my horse on Saturday, and he lost, although he shouldn’t have-been beaten; and to-day I have a bigger mug riding—-the first being otherwise engaged—so how can I put more than a few pounds on my horse?” And a trainer said: “He (the horse) will win—if the kid doesn’t fall off!” Neither event came to pass, but the youngster had what is popularly known as “a life.” v ..

The Feilding race track is now one of the finest in the Dominion, the bends having been improved and the track itself considerably widened in recent years. But to those who saw the crowding, and the scamper for the turns, the thought must have occurred that such tactics would have resulted in frightful disaster in the ©ld days when Jenkins, White, Olliver, and other artists in the times used to pilot horses round the old saucer track. And even today, when the track is perfectly safe, danger is seen riding neck-and-neck with those who do not seem to have any thought for the safety of themselves or of anybody else.

For these reasons, just as on account of the financial stringency, the meeting lacked pep, and the crowd, though there each day in seemingly usual numbers, did not bet with any confidence. Given half a dozen good horsemen, the gathering might have been a really memorable one. But the few men worthy of the name of horseman were spread all over the Dominion, and the Feilding Club appears to have been the one important club which had to suffer. It must not be inferred that the officials were slow to recognise delinquents; they questioned and “carpeted” several of offenders. One lad was suspended from riding for three months, but, strange to say, his suspension which was imposed after the third race on the second day, was not to be given effect to until after the meeting. Apparently, although adjudged guilty of careless riding and suspended, his services were considered too valuable to be dispensed with by the club which suspended the lad, though other clubs could not permit him to ride for the term of his suspension. A good deal of indifferent riding was passed over as unintentional, though sportsmen who saw their investments “thrown in the air” would have liked to have seen action taken. Even though it was an apprentices’ outing, the public’s interests should have been safeguarded to the full, and a lesson taught to careless youths would probably do more good than harm. If not corrected, these boys will be a menace to themselves as well as to other riders, but words of advice or short and sharp lessons, given promptly, may prove the turning point in their careers. — “Paritutu.