174 SPORTING REMINISCENCES [1825 to 



floored. The next race was a Sweepstakes of 

 5 guineas each. Twelve subs. Gentlemen 

 riders. It was won, after a severe contest, by 

 a neck, by Mr. Molony's mare Madge Wildfire, 

 rode by the owner. A match for 50 guineas. 

 Two miles. Mr. Sawbridge's Justice, rode by 

 Captain Bridges, beat Mr. Graeme's Rodney, rode 

 by Captain Price." — Sporting Magazine, p. 52. 

 Mr. shard's Mr. Charles Shard, having pur- 



stag-houncls, 



1825. chased the .North Devon stag-hounds 



from Mr. Lucas, now hunted stag from his 

 residence at Somborne. Nimrod, after visiting 

 him, says, in the Sporting Magazine for De- 

 cember, p. 60 : " Whatever Mr. Shard does, 

 he does with spirit, and, with the exception of 

 a sad lack of hounds, his turn-out was very 

 good indeed. He himself was mounted on his 

 favourite grey horse — such a one as Ave rarely 

 meet with ; and he had two servants (Sharp, 

 formerly huntsman to the Hon. Luniley Saville, 

 and his son, bred up, I believe, in his present 

 master's service), also very well mounted, in 

 the field. Two friends of his, Mr. Smith of 

 Somborne and Mr. Lovell of Rookley, acted as 

 yeomen prickers, which gave the whole a very 

 classical effect. Mr. Shard's person, as master 

 of the ceremonies, was also adorned by a hand- 

 some belt, to which was suspended a bugle. 



