660 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



her skill and courage. Making the circuit of the track in the same hand- 

 some and imposing style as on the preceding day they reined up in front of the 

 committee's, when the chairman announced the following order of proceeding: 



1st. Ladies will ride in the same order of numbers as yesterday. 



2d. The company of the cavalier will be dispensed with, excepting as an 

 attendant within the circle. 



3d. Each lady will be entitled to ride four times around the circle, with 

 liberty to withdraw on the completion of the second or third round. 



The riding was then commenced as on the day previons. Barred Red 

 Ribbon leading ofif, and achieving a highly creditable performance. 



Next came the popular favorite, Broad Blue Ribbon, who was this morn- 

 ing more than herself, and put the ball in motion by going through the most 

 dashing, terrific and perfectly dare-devil performance ever witnessed on horse- 

 back. The scene was thrilling, fearful, magnificent. The boldest held 

 their breath as, mounted on her proud and untamed charger, she flew round 

 the course with the rapidity of lightning and with the sweeping force of a 

 whirlwind, and all this with a childlike smile upon her countenance and her 

 whip in full play, thus imparting to all a more than half assurance that the 

 daring little rider was equal to the emergency and abundantly able to take 

 care of herself. At the completion of the fourth round, and still at full and 

 fearful speed, she wheeled gloriously from the track and was greeted with an 

 earthquake of cheers as she brought her bounding animal to a graceful halt 

 in front of the committee's stand. 



'The daring example and triumphant success of Broad Blue Ribbon ex- 

 cited lively ambition among all of the ribbons, and it was evident to all that 

 from that time forward the scene would be made exquisitely beautiful and 

 charmingly animating. 



Pink Ribbon led ofif with a gracefulness which is all her own, and with a 

 spirit equal to the grandeur of the occasion and the intense enthusiam which 

 had been aroused. Her most successful performance seemed to keep up the 

 fever heat of excitement and she made the rounds in good time and splendid 

 style. 



So, also, with the balance of the fair competitors, all of them appeared 

 to be animated with the same spirit, and as each lady in her proper order 

 entered upon the round, it was manifest that she had made up her mind to 

 prove herself worthy of the prize, whether she would win it or not, and we 

 are happy to state that there was not a failure among them. The riding of 

 the second day, besides more exciting was more pleasing than on the pre- 

 vious one. The ladies then looked more lovely— at least we thought they 

 did— but this may have been the result of better acquaintance, or of a bright 

 October morning, or of a certain fire which the excitement of the moment 

 had kindled within; at all events, they were transcendently charming, and 

 all Hawkeyedom then and there present unhesitatingly acknowledged the 

 corn and bowed to the magic of beauty. The last round being accomplished 

 and all the ladies with their cavaliers reined up in front of the committee's 

 stand, the chairman made them a short address, after which the ladies, with 

 their cavaliers, were requested to walk their horses gently around the circle, 

 and to take their respective places in line some one hundred and fifty feet 

 from the stand and there await the decision. Meantime, the committee 

 commenced canvassing the claims of the fair contestants when, upon the 



