HORSE RACING EXTRAORDINARY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1254, 12 March 1886, Page 4

HORSE RACING EXTRAORDINARY.

The amusement and 'ricks of the turf are not limited to the children of civilisation. Among the North American Indians a perfect passion for horses has developed, and they have been long noted for their excellent horsemanship—being as it were perfect Ceqtanrs. At this horse racing time the following story will be duly appreciated :—A band ot Comanches were camped a few years since iu the neighbourhood of Fort Chadbourne, in Texas, at which a couple of squadrons 1 of United Stales cavalryrweie quartered. Some of the officers- owned blood horses from Kentucky, and were of decidedly sporting proclivities. 'Ae astute Indians, scenting the chance* of- “winning “ plunder ” from their simple paleface brethren, came down to the fort, and proposed a match between one of their pgni'qs a miserable-looking sheep-like sthi* mal—and the third best horse belong* ing to the garrison. The distance was 400 yards, and the 7 ndians staked all the robes, furs, and ornaments they possessed, amounting in value to about 75 dob, or fifteen guineas, against a like sum in money, eked out by flour and sugar. At the appointed time the Comanches and all the strength of the American gairison assembled at the track. The Indian pony seemed hardly able to carry the enormous jockey, weighing about 14 •stone, who was perched upon the poor beast's loins. The rider was armed with a huge club, wherewith he belabored his wretched mount from •start to finish. Elis A mericau rival, on a shapely aid well dressed thoroughbred horse, seemed able to distance the Indian pony; but, to the astonishment of all the white spectators, the last-named animal won—seemingly ail out —by a neck. Nettled by their unexpected and incom/prehensible deleat, the officers at once proposed another match between the victorious “ old Sheep,” as the pony was called by his owner, and the second-best horse attached to the garrison. The bets were doubled, and in less than an hour the second race was won by the same pony. Thoroughly disgusted, and not a little humiliated, the American cavalay ■ officers resolved to bring out their trump card. One of their comrades owned a magnificent Kentucky mare, full of the same Lexington blood as •flowed in the -veins of Iroquois and -Foxha.il, by whom little doubt was ‘entertained that the two previous -defeats syould be easily wiped out and : avenged. The Indians insisted, as t before, upon restricting the course to 400 yards j but, as the Kentucky mare could beat any animal in the garrison by at least 50 yards over that 'distance, no apprehension was felt as to the result, especially when it was remembered > hat the ‘ old sheep ’ had won each of the two previous races with seeming difficulty. The Indians again doubled theii bets, and piled up in addition every blanket, leather’jacket, rifle, revolver, and ornament’ that they could lay their bauds upon. The excitement on both sides was intense as the riders mounted,and the word was given to stait. Throwing away his club, the Comanche uttered a wild whoop, at sound of which the “ old sheep” pricked up his ears, and darted off like lightning, going two feet to the mare’s one. The last fifty yards of the course was run by the pouy with his jockey facing the tail, making hideous grimaces, indulging iu shouts of triumph, and beckoning the mare to come on. It transpired afterwards that the ‘ oid sheep ’ was a famous ‘ trick pony,’ well known to, and universally dreaded by, the Indian tribes of the youth, whom his. owner had easily cleaned out of all they had.