CH. XXIV DRIVING COMPETITIONS 527 



Driving Competitions. — Driving competitions 

 are frequently arranged with the view of deciding 

 which of the contestants has the best seat on the 

 box, the best method of handling the reins and 

 whip, and the best general style of driving, while 

 merely going over a simple course ; or an intricate 

 course, with obstacles, may be laid out for the 

 purpose of testing the skill of the coachman. In 

 the first case, a figure-of-eight may be added to the 

 simple course ; a moderately high rate of speed 

 should be required. 



At the Philadelphia Horse-Show of 1893, the 

 course was laid out as in Fig. 175. 



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<~ Start 



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1 ! 

 1 1 



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Fig. 175. 



Blocks, 10 inches square and 36 inches high, were 

 placed in pairs, with a space of 8j4 feet between 

 the blocks, at the points 1, 2, 3, and 4. The coaches, 

 stationed on the short sides of the ground, were 

 twice driven, one by one, at a sharp trot, through 

 each pair of blocks, following the course shown by 

 the dotted line, thus twice making a figure-of-eight ; 

 finishing at the point marked by the star. Striking 

 a block was counted against a contestant, but the 



