september - october - Fort Sill

CURRENT FIELD ARTILLERY NOTES
assigned to Captain Colbern last fall, and was trained and ridden by him up
to the time of the contest.
The runner-up in the contest was Captain James C. Short, 9th Cavalry,
who rode and trained Verdict, a roan half-bred, by Trial by Jury (Tb), out
of a half-bred mare at the Ft. Reno Remount Depot. This remount is four
years old, weighs 1150 pounds, and stands 16 hands high.
The contest covered three phases which were judged and marked on
points, each phase being scored on a basis of 100. The most important
phase was the Schooling Competition, counting 50 per cent. on the final
score. In general, the schooling requirements included the following:
Showing the remount at a walk, school and posting trot, canter and gallop;
transition from one gait to another; counter-gallop on the circle; change of
gallop lead on a straight line and on the circle; shoulder-in and ranging the
haunches; two-track on the diagonal; halt from the gallop and vice versa. In
the schooling phase Captain Colbern made a score of 96 while Captain
Short, his nearest competitor, made 94. Both officers showed well and gave
a fine exhibition of horsemanship. Their performance was far superior to
that of the rest of the class.
The second phase of the contest was Jumping. The course was arranged
in the riding hall and consisted of ten obstacles (brush, post and rail, stone
wall, chicken coop, and gate). These jumps were all 3½ feet high. Each
jump was scored on a basis of ten points. The usual penalties were exacted
for tips, knock-downs, refusals and run-outs. In case of a third refusal or
run-out, the contestant was eliminated from the jumping phase. Practically,
this also meant elimination from the contest. The jumping phase counted
25 per cent. on the final score. Captain Short came out first in this phase
with a score of 99½, with Captain Colbern as runner-up with a score of
98½.
The final phase of the contest was a cross-country ride over a three-mile
course containing ten obstacles. This course had to be covered in not less
than nine and not more than twelve minutes, necessitating an average gait
of from 15 to 20 miles an hour. The only penalties exacted were for
refusals, run-outs and falls. Failure to complete the course within the
prescribed time limits was penalized by elimination. Fortunately, all
contestants completed this phase in proper time and in good form. The
splendid condition of all the remounts at the end of this phase, indicated
that all the contestants had brought their mounts to a fine physical
condition for the contest.
Covering all three phases, the final scores were as follows: First,
Captain Colbern, score 94.5; second, Captain Short, score 93.5. There
was little to choose between these two officers. Both gave a
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