To the Editor of the Noxtn-Cuixa Dairy News.
Sin,—I have been expecting that "Club Bar" would again give you a few racy notes on the Tandem Club which had their sixth meet on Tuesday, but perhaps a few comments from an outsider may also help the popularity of this truly sporting amusement.
The meet was on the French Bund at 4.30 p.m,, and very shortly after this hour Tcounted'9 teams drawn up ready for the start. After the criticisms which have already appeared upon nearly all the teams it may appear that there is little more to be said, and so I hope what I say will be taken in the most friendly way by the members of the T. C.
Mr, Carlill led the way, and he certainly rattled off as if he wished to make a record tothe Well. He has got a nice cart and fender, and make both shaft and leader ood ponies, but why not trim up his
look like a pair, He must remember that
dem; first get your horses to gu well ace is of everything in driving tan; together and then make the pace if you like; but the whole appearance was spoilt by the ponies not being trimmed to match euch other, and going at a go-as-you-please gait.
The second team I have seen driven before by another member of the club, and yesterday they seemed to be well together. The cart, however, appeared to be badly balanced, but this will no doubt be rectified in the "sweet bye and bye." "Bobby" looked very pleased with himself, and well he might be, as he and Mr. Cameron were the only two members who were able to induce the fair sex to accompany them.
The third team belongs I understand to the M. F. H., who am glad to hear is on a fair way to recovery, and I hope we shall soon see him in his accustomed place again. His seat was occupied by a front rank member of the S. P. B. C., and though I fancy he was not quite as much at home as he is across country, he soon will be if he sticks to it.
The fourth team, a pair of greys, is a good one; the owner is a first-class workman, handling his team as well as he handles a pair of fractious artillery ponies, and his mount across the Hongkew county!
"The fifth team, also greys, belongs to the "Farmer", who if he can't ''take the cake" with his mokes, is determined to doit with his cart, which is just what I would expect to see with one who is such a good sport. The team is a serviceable one and with more training will be hard to beat.
Thesixth team, a black and a dun, belong tothe Veteran Whip," and I must say they take my fancy, though the leader was not going on Tuesday in anything like his usual form. I think the extreme heat and the flies, however, had something to do with his restiveness, and I imagine the-Veteran found him a handful on the drive out.
The seventh team, a fine looking pair of ponies, driven by a stalwart Scot who takes a deal of beating in more things than tandem driving, looked very well, and went well together. The leader was inclined ocossinually to break into a cantar when making up lost ground, but I think it was more from want of work than want of mauners.
The eighth team, a pair of dark bays, owned and driven by the Captain of the Artillery, are as well matched fancy as China ponies well can be. Their owner has evidently taken "Club Bar's" advice in good part and practised tandem driving pretty frequently since the first meet on the French Bund, as there was nothing "wrong with the works" this time.
The ninth and Jast team, a pair of blacks, belonging to the Hon. Secretary, are too well-known to require any comuients from me. In the absence of "Frank" they were driven by Mr. Callaway, a real good sport, and I hope having now tasted the sweets of tandem driving, he will soon get a team of his own under way.
Before concluding I would like to see more attention given to the harness and other appointments of the teams. A good team is spoilt, by having the harness badly fitted and by having ends of traces, belly bands, kicking straps, ete., etc., too long Every driver should soo that his harness is quite what is wanted and no more; don't trust to your mafoos, as most ut them have no idea of neatness, and the master must look to this himself. Five minutes with the saddler and you can chaise your team from a slovenly-looking one into a smart one, and remember one word of. praise from the critics well repays you for any trouble you may take in bringing your team on parade just as it should be. She drive on Tuesday was very enjoyable, and'L have to thank the member who so kindly gave me a seat alongside of him, and explained to me as we trotted along at " spanking pace, all the wonderful points of the different teams, (from which I have made up my notes) and the great. pleasure there is in breaking in your own ponies, until their manners are perfect, and they can be ered in and out among carriages and ricshas with a turn of the wrist.
Tam, ete., '8th October.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.