J 96 Lovers of the Horse 



RALPH DOUGLASS 



AT the early age of seventeen years. Ralph Douglass, of Ste. Therese. Que., hecauie 

 ilecidedlv interested in the liorse. Mr. Douglass is president of the hrewery iirni 

 of Douglass & Co.. Limited, and is one of the younger men of (^uel)ee Province 

 wiio are helping the interests of the horse in a j)ractieal way all the time. He was 

 Ijorn in Brooklyn. X.Y.. in 1877. He spent his summers in Champlain. N.Y.. and 

 was educated at the Vermont Episco])al Institute. Burlington. Vermont. On leaving 

 school, he became interested in horsedom |iarticularly. iov he had aciiuired possession 

 of the stallion Lord Dudley, son of ^lamhrino Dudley ('•2.1S)f ), dam l)y Dictator. He 

 also had several good brood mares, one of which was Rosetta. in the great l)rood mare 

 list, bv Pickering, son of Rysdyk's Hambletonian. dam by Harry (May. sire of dam of 

 Electioneer. Amongst the horses he possesses now. Mr. Douglass is fondest of Rosetta. 

 a sorrel mare of fine appearance, out of the Rosetta mentioned before and siretl by 

 .Meander, sire of Dariel. -2.()fM. In relating .some of the very interesting horse facts 

 that have come within his wide e\j)erience in a few years. Mr. Douglass mentions that 

 probablv one of the best horses for road and carriage ever owned in Burlington. \ t., 

 was the pro|)ertv of his uncle. ( 'harles Lippett, who was a hay dealer at that place. The 

 horse, which was grey in color. an<l came from St. Ilyac-inthe. (Quebec', and .supposed 

 to be a (irey Eagle, could, and often did. pull a l)Uggy in ••2. 30. I'pon the demise of 

 Mr. Lipi)ett, this splendid horse became the ])ro])erty of l\Ir. Douglass' father, and 

 the animal made a wonderful reputation in northern New \'ork State. He was 

 not blessed with any high-sounding name, being known just as conunon, jilain, 

 onlinarv, everyday "Joe," and apparently (|uite satisfied that it sliould be that way. 

 in the full knowledge that he was a grey gelding, 15.3. and a weight of XA'io lbs., which 

 was entirely out of j)roportion with his importance. 



Mr. Douirlass was for some time connected with the Shermans — verv wealthv 

 mine owners of Port Henry, X.'N'.. and he personally |)ossessed a large stable of good 

 drivers at Champlain, .\.\'. Among his favorites ther(> were Spark and Flirt icobs). 

 a first prize pair of mares, at Slierbrooke. (^ue.. both double and single, and under saddle. 

 This fine pair he had purchased iVoni Mr. (loiigli. of I.ennowille. (^ue. lie also 

 thought a lot of a pair of sorrel geldings. Edgemont -2. '•21.1,, and Buttons itrial '2.1()i, 

 which he drove on the \ew ^'ork speedway half a mile in the splendid time of 1.10. 

 Others of his choice ownings were the great Campaigner, an ideal driving horse, and 

 Doctor !-.. a roan gelding that could go at either yait b\ changing the weight in front. 

 Doctor L. never wore straps and had a ])aciiiL; record of 2.0!). and trotting record of a 

 frartion over '2.1 '-2. 



Thougii still oidy a little over thirty years of age at this writing. Mr. Douglass has 

 had an interesting lifetime of more hustling tli;in moNt men accomplish in t\\ ice the journey. 

 He has l)eeii a bit too bu.sy to engage in nnlitarx pui>uits. and this is |)erhaps to be re- 

 gretted, as when at school he was captain in command of the best drilled company in 

 the State of \'erinont. winning flags, presented by (iovernor Peck, I'or su|)remacy. ]\lr. 



