198 STEEPLECHASING 



towards establishing one race, at least, which should be free 

 from the objections urged against ordinary steeplechasing. 



Among those who did their best to resuscitate steeple- 

 chasing was Mr. Fothergill Rowlands, known as " Fog " 

 Rowlands to his intimates. He was brought up as a 

 medical man, and for a few years was engaged in active 

 practice, but even then he would steal away as often as 

 possible for a day's hunting or to ride in a steeplechase 

 or hunters' race, and in the saddle over a country he 

 was reputed to be second to Lord Wilton only. He 

 soon gave up practice, however, and in the year 1844 

 we find him riding a horse called Newport in the open 

 race at Abergavenny, but he was chiefly known in con- 

 nection with his own mare Medora. 



After a time Mr. Rowlands, whose success with unruly 

 horses was marvellous, turned his attention to superintend- 

 ing the training of horses belonging to his friends. The 

 Prince of Wales sent his Arab Alep to him in 1875 or 

 1876, and he also trained for the Duke of Hamilton, 

 Lord Stamford, and Sir John Astley, among others. He 

 died on Easter Day, 1878, from gout and dropsy. 



About 1857 or 1858 it occurred to several people, 

 Mr. Fothergill Rowlands amongst the number, that 

 something should be done to encourage farmers to 

 breed high-class horses, and that some step should be 

 taken to found a steeplechase in which bo7ia fide hunters 

 only should compete, and it was hoped that farmers and 

 hunting men would ride ; so Mr. Fothergill Rowlands 

 and his friends addressed themselves to the task of 

 carrying out the idea, and sought subscriptions towards 

 providing a liberal stake. The different Hunts were 

 asked to subscribe ; but the project met with scant 

 support, some people declaring that as hurdle and flat 

 race-horses could, under the conditions, run, it could be 

 no hunters' race. To this Mr. Rowlands retorted that 

 if the objectors had shown confidence in the management. 



