CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 July 1939, Page 11

CURRENT TOPICS FROM STABLE AND COURSE

Would Every Country in World Benefit from Importation of American Horses U.S.A. SPORTS WRITERS HAVE GREAT BELIEF IN SUPERLATIVENESS OF OWN BLOOD STOCK ENGLISH STALLIONS CLASSED AS CULLS (BY “CARBINE.”) One cannot but admire the belief many American writers have in the superlativeness of their own bloodstock, states the Sydney Referee. Whether it is quite warranted is a matter of opinion. English breeders would be hard to convince on that score, and it is doubtful whether Australian breeders will ever turn to America in preference to England, when seeking fresh blood. No American writer is more pronounced than E. D. Johnstone, of tne “Thoroughbred Record” (Lexington), in the belief that every country in the world would benefit by the importation of American horses.

Concerning Australia, Mr Johnstone has peculiar ideas. Although the greater portion of the stallions imported here from England have breeding and performances to recommend them, he classes practically all as "culls.” Touching on this, he recently wrote as follows: — “As time goes on, and it will be only a few years, America will have some great horses to export. South America and Australia are our natural markets, because they have fallen for the English propaganda, and taken English culls 'to get the blood.’ The bad horses at stud in both these countries that came from England are so numerous that a good American horse would have comparatively easy competition. And by the time we get. ready to cultivate an export market the American Stud Book will be known for its true worth.”

Presumably, Mr Johnstone is aware that there was a . shipment of 150 thoroughbreds from Lexington to Sydney in 1912. Most of the stallions were English-bred, Cesarion being the principal exception, but he was well up in years. The mares and foals represented some of America’s best blood. In commenting on the shipment, various American papers, the “Thoroughbred Record” among the number, said it embraced nearly 100 of the finest brood mares in America, and that country’s loss would be ■ Australia’s gain. “Not in many years to come can one hope to replace such a grand lot of thoroughbreds,” was the comment of one prominent writer. Some of the horses sold won races, and a few mares threw some, but the benefit America was supposed to have conferred on Australia 27 years ago has yet to manifest itself.