44 Lovers of the Horse 



had been imported from such kennels as the "Fitz William," the "Warwickshire," 

 the "Cottesmore," the "Belvoir," and the "Graftons," not to mention the Master's 

 gift of six couples of hounds purchased from the Montreal Hunt. An extensive area 

 of land at Scarborough Heights was purchased, club-house and kennels were erected, 

 new huntsmen and whij)pers-iu appointed, and Mr. George Beardniore, on the com- 

 pletion of the stables in the early autumn, furnished them from his [private stables at 

 Chutlleigh with horses for the huntsmen and all the Hunt servants, which he has gra- 

 ciously continued to do till the present day, although this fact is only known to a few 

 of the meml)ers. With such determined spirit of sport had the new blood entered 

 into their work of reorganization that the opening meet of that year is recalled with 

 pardonable priile. It was a large and fashionable meet, and prominent among all 

 to encourage Mr. Beardmore was its ever popular former Master, Dr. Andrew Smith. 

 A thoroughly good opening meet was followed by a thoroughly good season. From 

 year to year everything continued to flourish till the death of the Club's President, in 

 1898. Mr. McCarthy's untimely and lamentable death was sincerely mourned, not 

 only by the hunting fratei'nity, but by every true lover of sport in the Dominion. The 

 loss to the Toronto Hunt was irreparable, but fortunately for the Club, the Right Hon- 

 orable the Farl of ]\Iinto. then Governor-General of Canada, and ever ready to promote 

 good sj)ort, graciously acceded to the request of the directorate anil honored the Club 

 by becoming its President. 



From the inception of the Toronto Hunt, the one idea paramount has been to give 

 sport in the hunting field and to encourage all other sports. How well this has been 

 carried out in the last fourteen years may briefly be put down as follows: Com])lete 

 reorganization, 18!);j; purchase of valuable property, Scarl)orough Heights: building 

 club-house with all conveniences and sufficiently large to dine 100 people; building 

 of model kennels; building of Hunt stables; building of |)olo stables; preparing golf 

 links; pr(>paring polo field; aiuuial race meetings or gymkhanas: annual Horse 

 Show. 



The spring hunting lasts from six weeks to two months, the autumn three to 

 four: the meets, counting the early inoniing runs, three times a week. The western 

 country is principally grass, with some plough: the eastern country, early in the 

 spring and late in the season, heavy going. In both directions there are few 

 ditches, and the ordinary Canadian snake fences. The most useful mount is a short 

 coupled blood horse, and it would be hard to imagine a better country to make a 

 good chaser. 



To the Hunting Laflies of the Club is due the organization of the first Race Meet- 

 ing held at the Woodinne, in the autumn of ]Si)f, under the auspices of the Toronto 

 Hunt. The ladies formed themselves into a Race Committee with Mrs. J. K. Kerr 

 as President. Members of the Committee: Mrs. Forester, Mrs. Carruthers, Miss 

 Cawthra, Miss Louise Janes; Hon. Sec'y., Miss HcUmi Beardmore. The one day's 

 meeting jjroved such a success, that the following year the Directors had the courage 

 to follow in their footsteps. The meeting became an annual one for seven days until 



