EARLY DAYS 



" Everything must have a beginnino-," and 

 steeplecliasing was no exception to the rule. 

 Although in "Scott and Sebright" we read 

 of a contest taking place as early as 1792, in 

 Leicestershire — the course being from Barkby 

 Holt to the Coplow and back, about eight 

 miles — between Mr. Charles Meynell, Lord 

 Forester, and Sir Gilbert Heathcote, who 

 finished in the order named, it was not much 

 before 1825 that steeplechasing began to be 

 a popular amusement amongst the hunting 

 fraternity. At that time, and for many years 

 afterwards, the sport was exclusively that of 

 hunting men. Would we might say the same 

 of it to-day ! Alas ! time has brought its 

 changes on steeplechasing, as it has, and will, 

 on everything, and a decree of divorce has 

 been pronounced between two grand pastimes 



