SHOWING ABROAD 203 



in the world, there are besides other breeding classes, 

 etc., three different rings going at once for hunters 

 alone. In these are judged, separately, the light- 

 weight, middleweight, and heavyweight hunters, and 

 the horses are simply ridden around the enclosure at a 

 walk, trot, and canter.* The jumping (in which per- 

 formance alone counts) takes place, simultaneously 

 with the other classes, over a course in front of a huge 

 grand stand. The course consists of great banks and 

 drains and a wall five feet two inches high. No horses 

 unaccustomed to Irish jumps could possibly expect to 

 compete, but, for that matter, no one would be likely 

 to take hunters to Ireland — it would be like "carrying 

 coals to Newcastle." There are usually so many 

 jumpers competing in these classes that they are paired 

 off; the best one of each pair again being required to 

 jump it off in company with another horse and so on 

 up to the finals, just like a tennis tournament. 



* At Ballsbridge the first prize is a red ribbon, and the second a blue. 



