158 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



judgments as to the grace of the ladies in the saddle and their skill 

 in managing horses. Director George W. Hancock had special 

 charge of the tournament, and received efficient aid from President 

 Larue, Superintendent Flint, Directors Boggs, Jones, and other 

 officers, and Marshal Bryte and assistants. As a result everything 

 was well managed, and the tournament was " worked off" according 

 to programme. It was announced for nine o'clock a. m., but this was 

 an error, as ten o'clock was the hour fixed. This error occasioned 

 the people some trouble, and involved an hour's rather annoying 

 wait. At ten o'clock a. m. the ladies to compete were called to the 

 track and introduced to the judges. The Judges were E. W. Maslin, 

 A. G. Folger, Sid. Howell, Dr. Belton, G. Valensin, C. W. Clarke, W. 

 E. Hale. The lady contestants were Miss Anna Lovdall, Sacramento, 

 habit, colors blue and black ; Miss Kate Cross, Yolo, dark blue 

 and black costume; Miss Minnie Perry, Sacramento, black habit; 

 Miss Vivia Slight, Sacramento, black costume ; Mrs. May Stevens, 

 Sacramento, costume, navy blue, with white hat; Miss Ella Mouton, 

 Sacramento, black costume ; Miss Belle Ellis, Sacramento, navy 

 blue costume. All the ladies were well mounted on spirited ani- 

 mals. 



The Judges then gave them their instructions, and they were then 

 conducted by Mr. Hancock to the lower turn of the track, and from 

 that point rode, by his direction, up and down the quarter-stretch. 

 They went in a group, by twos, and threes, and singly. They were 

 required to make their horses gallop, canter or amble, run, wheel, 

 halt suddenly, etc. At the conclusion of these exercises they were 

 allowed to ride at will, and show off any special accomplishments as 

 horsewomen. Miss Cross, who has won many first premiums, and 

 who was in the tournament only to oblige the public and not as a 

 competitor for a prize, then put her horse through his best paces, 

 causing him to rise suddenly, halt suddenly, wheel, leap quickly 

 into the air, and finally to jump over the hurdle. This was well 

 done, the animal, under the skillful guidance of the young lady, 

 springing almost from a "standstill" directly upward, and then for- 

 ward, and alighting on all four feet almost simultaneously. Again 

 he would be required to take a running leap, and again a quick 

 darting leap, and again a lifting leap, with his forefeet striking the 

 ground on one side of the hurdle but an instant after his hind feet 

 left the ground on the other side. The other ladies then rode their 

 horses at the hurdle and made them take the leap, though none of 

 them had practiced with the animals in this line. This exercise 

 greatly pleased the audience, and the applause was long and loud. 

 Director Hancock bantered Marshal Bryte to leap the hurdle from a 

 standing jump, and the Marshal, after a long look at the hurdle, 

 which was a six-inch board upheld by two special policeman, a 

 glance at his stout legs, and a pressure upon his capacious lungs, 

 concluded he might get something out of gear inside if he tried it, 

 and declined the wager, whereat the people roared with laughter; 

 but they fairly shouted when Mr. Hancock mounted a heavy charger 

 and charged at the hurdle, to show the "girls" how to do it. The 

 horse took the leap, and so did Mr. Hancock, and nearly a day of 

 daylight shone between the saddle and the rider as the horse struck 

 the ground, while the weighty Director was somewhere up in mid-air. 

 Half an hour after, some of his brother Directors went about inno- 

 cently inquiring if brother Hancock had come down yet. This 



