The Life of a Great Sportsman 



There was many a gibe and sneer the other week in the 

 sporting papers at the expense of Mr. Harry Beasley for daring 

 to adopt a hunting seat when riding Cackler for Mr. Assheton- 

 Smith at Sandown on the first day of the Grand Military 

 Meeting, but that other people take a different view may be 

 gathered from the following extract from a letter written by a 

 well-known owner of steeplechasers, and one of the very best 

 all-round sportsmen of my acquaintance. 



M It was a bit of a lesson," writes my friend, " seeing Harry 

 Beasley on Cackler at Sandown the other day, and some of the 

 present school of cross-country riders and frequenters of 

 steeplechase meetings could hardly help thinking, I should 

 imagine, when they saw the combination of man and horse, 

 that the sport must have sadly degenerated since the period 

 when the Beasleys were in their prime and a power in the 

 land." 



And my friend's remark, it is pretty certain, will be echoed 

 by many who, as in my own case, view with disgust the 

 crouching seat and short stirrup of the " up-to-date " steeple- 

 chase rider, and which, for cross-country work, is, in my humble 

 opinion, as senseless as it is unsightly, which is saying a 

 good deal. 



Riders of the Past. 



When I recall to memory the many cross-country riders of 

 my own time who a witched the world with noble horseman- 

 ship," such as Lord Tredegar and his brother, the Honourable 

 Fred Morgan, " Bee " and Arthur Coventry, " Curly " Knox, 

 "Lummy" Harford, Arthur Tempest, "Doggie" Smith, "Mr. P. 

 Merton" (Jinks), Robert Walker, George Ede (Mr. Edwards), 

 Tom Pickernell (Mr. Thomas), " Sugar " Candy, Reggie and 



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