Gentlemen Riders 



CAPTAIN JOHN LAWRENCE 



Brief though it was unhappily fated to be, seldom, if ever, has 

 a more brilliant career in the saddle, whilst it lasted, been 

 placed on record than that of the gallant soldier named above, 

 familiarly known to his many friends, both in and out of the 

 Service, as " Piggy " Lawrence. 



The eldest son of Mr. John Lawrence, the veteran master 

 of the Llangibby hounds, the subject of our memoir, having 

 completed his education, was appointed, in 1861, to the 

 7th Hussars, being transferred shortly afterwards to the 

 4th Hussars, then quartered in Ireland, and it was in that 

 country and in Scotland, where the regiment moved to after- 

 wards, that " Piggy " Lawrence, as he was familiarly called, did 

 most of his riding. 



The first race of any importance won by him was the Irish 

 Grand Military in 1864, when he beat a large field on Tony 

 Lumpkin, a horse who, it may be remembered, was heavily 

 backed for the Grand National of the following year, in which 

 he was ridden by Mr. Thomas ; whilst, later on, he won the 

 Cork Grand National on The Don, and the Liverpool Hunt 

 Club, at Hoylake, on Mocking Bird. 



In 1865 he had an unsuccessful ride in the Grand National, 

 and was second in the Grand Military, on Glencairn, to 

 "Curly" Knox on Ironsides. He also rode and won at 

 Abergavenny that year. 



In 1866 the National Hunt Steeplechase was run at Crew- 

 kerne, where Captain Lawrence, riding Golden Drop, was 

 second to Alec Goodman on Mr. Studd's Shangarry, the latter, 

 who started favourite at 6 to 4, winning in a hack canter by 



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