S2 DRIVING AS I FOUND IT. 



such an important position. From personal experi- 

 ence during tlie last show, I came to the conclusion 

 that the personal merits of the owners and their rela- 

 tion with the Association were considered more than 

 rhe merits of the horses they exhibited. In one class 

 I noticed a good deal of indecision on the part of the 

 judges as to which was the best horse, and they could 

 not decide until they referred to the catalogue, and I 

 audibly heard the remark: "Give it to those; they 



belong to Mr. ." 



The most farcical part of the whole performance was 

 enacted in the class for tandems, where a pair of ponies 

 driven by a gentleman connected ^\ith the Association 

 was awarded a ribbon over one that on the following 

 day deservedly got the highest reward as the best in 

 the show. "In and out" judging like the above, no 

 mattei* whether through ignorance or personal feeling, 

 does more to injure the development of horse shows 

 than anything else. The horse-loving public go to see 

 and learn what is considered the best tandem. How is 

 it possible to do this when one day a pair of ponies 

 beats a pair of horses and the next day these same 

 pair of horses beat the pair of ponies? The only stand- 

 ard that should be recognized and the one that will 

 tend to popularize a horse show is that of merit. The 

 owner has nothing whatever to do with it, or ought not 



