Colonel the Hon. William Lawson 



brook ; one of the few to get over in safety being Mr. Lawson, 

 only, however, to jump into a drift and fall three fences from 

 home. That year Captain Mildmay (Grenadiers) won, Lord 

 Annaly being second, Captain Bouverie (Coldstreams) third, 

 and Mr. Lawson fourth, after getting up again. Gilbert, the 

 horse ridden by him on that occasion, was a thoroughbred, up 

 to 14 St. 7 lbs. by Young Dutchman, and came from the 

 Atherstone country. He was afterwards his owner's best 

 horse with the Meath in Ireland. Although English bred, it 

 had never seen a bank. Another year the race was held in 

 the Badminton country, near Great Wood, Lord Cowley 

 finding the course. The Dauntsey brook was the third 

 obstacle, and, the going being very heavy, a great number 

 fell at it, Mr. Lawson among the number; but getting up 

 again he took the lead for the last three fields, to be beaten in 

 a long "run in" with the ridge and furrow the wrong way, 

 by Gavin Hamilton of his own regiment. On this occasion 

 he rode a horse called Blanchardstown, bought from Tom 

 Manley, who lived close to Lord Annaly's place, Luttrellstown, 

 near Dublin. He was well up to fifteen stone, and a rare stayer, 

 and never once fell in his ten seasons in Ireland and Leicester- 

 shire. Another year, in the Meynell country, Colonel Lawson 

 was third on Hopeful, bought from David Beatty for Mrs. 

 Lawson, and regarded by that lady as one of the best she 

 ever rode. Previous to his purchase he won the Fermanagh 

 Hunt Cup and the Atherstone Point-to-Point Race, and it is 

 tolerably certain that but for running through the last fence 

 and falling, Colonel Lawson must have won on this occasion, 

 seeing that at the time he was leading by many lengths. 

 Colonel Willie rode in the same race when it took place in 

 the Fitzwilliam country near Barnsdale ; in the Cottesmore 

 country under Barleythorpe ; in the Warwickshire country, 



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