198 HACKS AND HUNTERS 



suggest and which would apply not only to hunters but 

 to saddle horses, ponies, harness horses, and all classes 

 as well. Throughout all horse shows a system of cham- 

 pionships might be adopted similar to the plan used 

 by the American Kennel Club. In other words, change 

 the name of the present championship class to " win- 

 ners," judge it, in so far as the hunters, as just suggested, 

 then make each win in a " winners" class count a cer- 

 tain number of points toward a championship. The 

 exact number of points that it is to count being de- 

 termined by the size of the show and the rating that 

 it has under the association rules. A championship 

 would thus be achieved after a certain number of wins 

 in "winners" classes. In order to adopt this plan, 

 shows should be graded according to the number of 

 entries and a fixed rating given each show; thus a 

 prize in a winners class at the National might count, 

 say, five points toward a championship, while a prize 

 in a winners class at a small show, like Islip, for ex- 

 ample, would only count one point. The wording of 

 Section G of the American Kennel Club, "re champion- 

 ships," which is as follows, might easily be rewritten to 

 suit horse championships : 



"Winners of fifteen points in the winners class under 

 three different judges (at least six points of which shall 

 be won at two different three-point shows) shall here- 

 after become champions of record, and if registered 

 in the stud-book shall be entitled to a championship 



won a ribbon, and therefore in the final award has really been counted 

 over and over again instead of just once. 



At Olympia even in saddle classes every horse is obliged in the 

 championship class to carry, somewhere on his bridle, all the ribbons he 

 has won during the week. This is an excellent scheme to enable the 

 public as well as the judges to see exactly in what relation the animal 

 stands to all the others. 



