THE STUD BOOK PURIFIED 217 



was Lord Downe, one of the most genuine and best 

 of sportsmen. 



In a similar sense the present Lord Jersey crowned 

 my efforts to purify the General Stud Book by excluding 

 American native lines. Ever since I saw American 

 racing in 1887 I have known that there must be much 

 of the coarsest blood in it, though Hanover, whom I 

 then saw, was quite beautiful. From that moment I 

 resolved Give me Hanover and reject all the rest. 



It was quite right, and Hanover would have been 

 invaluable to the stud in England, being an absolute 

 freak in his combination of Glencoe (twice) with Bonny 

 Scotland, son of Queen Mary. There was but a very 

 slight stain in his pedigree, which at that time would 

 not have barred him from the G.S.B., and did not, 

 indeed, for many years later. In all my efforts to 

 purify the G.S.B. I made a saving clause for Hanover. 



As the sire of Rhoda B. (dam of Orby) he has made 

 a lasting mark in the English Stud Book, and I am 

 very sorry that the final purist decision as regards 

 that book should not have made an exception in favour 

 of Hanover, whose free Glencoe blood has " nicked " so 

 thoroughly well with that of Pocahontas in England. 

 The anomalous result of the regulation that exists is 

 that whereas Orby, whose maternal grandsire was 

 Hanover, is accepted and recognised, Sir Martin is 

 rejected for the sole reason that his maternal grandsire 

 was Hanover. It was quite right to come to that 

 finally exclusive decision of that I am satisfied, for 

 the whole aim and object of a stud book is to ensure 

 purity of blood, in so far as is possible ; but I think 

 the immense advantages offered to us by Hanover 

 warranted an exception being made in his favour. 



