Rides in the " National " 



country championship was won by " Playfair," 

 beautifully ridden by the late George Mawson. 

 A funny incident occurred to him during the 

 course of that journey. His horse hit a fence 

 hard, with the result that he was shot on to the 

 animal's neck, and he could not get back into the 

 saddle. Galloping by his side, I said : " Where 

 are you going to, George ? " and helped him to 

 regain his seat. " Thank the Lord ! " he ex- 

 claimed devoutly, when he was safely restored, 

 " this ought to be a ' pinch ' for me now " ; and it 

 was so. He might have wriggled back without 

 my assistance, but it certainly did not look a 

 "good thing" for him. One's saddle seems to 

 be such a long way off when one is on the horse's 

 neck and he keeps his head down. 



In 1889 I was third in the "National" on 

 "M.P.," "Frigate" winning; in 1890 I was 

 victorious on " Ilex," as recorded ; in 1891 I was 

 third on " Ilex," also third on him in the follow- 

 ing year, when, carrying 12 st. 7 lb., he broke 

 down and ran a great horse on three legs; in 

 1893 I was third on " Why Not," who won at 

 the next time of asking with the Eminent 

 Author (that's me) in the saddle. It was an 

 inspiriting contest, a glorious finish ; but I need 

 not describe it again — I'd rather ride it again, 



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