250 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



SPEED PROGRAM AT COUNTY FAIRS. 



BY S. C. CULBERTSON, JEFFERSON, IOWA. 



Horse racing, as near as history records this subject, began about 2,500 

 years ago, or between 600 and 700 years B. C, and from that day to this 

 it has had its place among sports and amusements in all civilized coun- 

 tries and nations of the world. It has also been condemned by the church 

 from the very beginning, and even to the present day there is a consider- 

 able feeling of antipathy against this form of amusement. Most of us 

 here assembled can recall the time when the objection to this form of 

 amusement was greater than at present, and you can also recall when 

 church organizations were threatened with disruption because some 

 progressive leaders among them ventured to suggest the use of musical 

 instruments in devotional exercises. While there may be some few who 

 honestly and religiously condemn this feature of our fairs, and others 

 who dislike racing for the same reason that they take no interest in other 

 popular forms of sports and amusements, horse racing is the one feature 

 that has become more popular among the masses as time advanced. To 

 my mind no entertaining feature of our fairs has endured the time, and 

 so attracts and interests people generally as a speed program. I am led 

 to believe this from the interest taken, while the racing is going on. At 

 our own fairs I have frequently called the attention of our directors and 

 others when it could be noticed that at least 80% of the attendance was 

 watching the races each trying to get a position better than his neighbor 

 that he might be better able to see every move made by the horses in the 

 contest. 



Recall, if you will, the thousands of people who annually attend the 

 great Iowa State Fair, and the thousands of them who pay the extra 

 admission to the grandstand, the most of them for no other purpose than 

 to see the racing. 



What one thing could create more interest and enthusiasm in connec- 

 tion with our fairs than the appearance on the streets at home at fair 

 time of about 100 or more blooded and well groomed horses entered for 

 the races? And what in connection with fair management causes the 

 officers more discomfort and humiliation than to be compelled to say that 

 some of the classes have not filled? There is only one thing that I can 

 think of, and that is to have some of your entries at the last minute fail 

 to appear at all, and to learn that some unscrupulous secretary has been 

 to the fair just ahead of yours and bribed some of your entries to pass 

 you up and go with him that he may be enabled to put on a hippodrome 

 at his fair. 



Methods of this kind should be condemned by every honest fair officer, 

 and admirers of true sport generally. 



Admitting now that the speed program is the backbone of the enter- 

 taining features of our fairs, why should the practice of charging an 

 entrance fee for horses be continued? I for one am in favor of its com- 

 plete abolishment, and can see absolutely no excuse for its continuance. 



Why should owners of racing horses be compelled to spend their time 

 and substance in preparing their animals for our amusement and enter- 



