SIXTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IX. 1005 



However, it is not anvays possible to obtain an attraction of such 

 rare magnetic power as Lliat was. i.^anagers must as a rule content 

 themselves with something of lesser magnitude. It is conceded that 

 the racing end of a fair adds much to the revenue. The American 

 people breed the trotter and pacer and like to see him go. Speculation 

 does not enter into this discussion at all for the reason that at fairs 

 such as are being dealt with there is no betting nor the desire for an>. 

 There is hardly a county in the whole country where some harness 

 speed is not produced and the greater the degree of speed attained by 

 the breeders the greater is the interest in the racing programme. "We 

 may therefore conclude that the racing division of a fair, large or 

 small, has its legitimate place as benefiting a legitimate industry and 

 as such is entitled to the support of the management and the populace. 

 It has been demonstrated that the people would rather see a high-class 

 racing performance than any other sort of a special attraction. Look 

 at the enormous crowds Dan Patch has attracted. Prince Alert is 

 another champion which has drawn golden harvests to many fairs. 

 Thero would seem to be a pointer in this for most fair managers, 

 especially now that horses are so high and so much in the consideration 

 of the farmer. It is evident, however, that there are not champion 

 trotters and pacers enough to go around and supply all the vast num- 

 ber of fairs annually held in the United States. In some communities 

 the people take interest enough in the stock exhibited to attend in sufi*- 

 cieut numbers to make the fair paj'', but the instances where the spe- 

 sial attraction is desirable are more numerous. What then is the mana- 

 ger to do? As a rule he will find his solution in something that per- 

 tains to the horse, something that is clean and legitimate, showing the 

 speed or the intelligence of the animal and his ready assimilation of 

 education. The "guideless wonder" was a grand success in its day. 

 There is something of the sort new every year, and we all know that 

 some good high jumping done on the track in front of the grand stand 

 is always enjoyed by large and enthusiastic crowds. 



It should be remembered though that a good equine show is not put 

 on the road cheaply. It costs much money and therefore a fair price 

 must be paid by the fair. Managers never will do any good by hir- 

 ing cheap trashy shows as drawing cards no matter whether there are 

 a dozen horses in them or one. Moreover, the man who puts such a 

 combination on the road is entitled to know where he is going to land, 

 and therefore dates should be taken early. Fair managers will find it 

 to their advantage to make their arangements of this sort months in 

 advance of the fair dates. In short if the publig wants to see horses 

 do stunts in a racing or educated way, by all means give it a good clean 

 show of high-class and the dollars will be parted with readily time and 

 again. 



MORE INTEREST IN COUNTY FAIRS. 

 farmer's tribune. 



World's fairs, state fairs and other large live stock shows are im- 

 portant institutions in advancing the live stock Industry and farming 

 in general. They have grown to such proportions in recent years that 



