198 THE TURF 



not by professional jockeys ; and one of the matters 

 which, at the time of writing, seems to demand the 

 attention of the Stewards of the National Hunt, is 

 whether the "qualified rider" might not most judi- 

 ciously be abolished, as the "hunter" he usually 

 bestrode has been, so much to the benefit of the sport. 

 Those who may ride under National Hunt Rules, 

 other than jockeys licensed by the Committee, are 

 given under rules 92 and 93. 



Now, as a matter of fact, it is shrewdly suspected 

 that, with very few exceptions, qualified riders are 

 jockeys in disguise, who do not admittedly ride for 

 hire, but do so indirectly ; and it is the trickery of 

 these men that leads to a great proportion of the 

 scandals which come to light, or which often would 

 come to light if suspicious circumstances were duly 

 and successfully investigated. It will be seen how 

 wide is the qualification for the gentleman-rider, and, 

 considering that to have any chance of success a man 

 must devote a great deal of time to the sport and 

 ride frequently, there would be little hardship if it 

 were demanded that riders must be qualified as 

 ofentlemen or farmers, or else obliofed to obtain 

 licenses as professional jockeys. Under the most 

 favourable conditions it, of course, takes a long time 

 for a young man to obtain election to some of the 

 political or social clubs, membership of which is a 

 qualification ; but the right sort of man, the rider 

 whose co-operation would be to the advantage of the 



