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Sibley Watson Digital Archive

Gymkhana

The Rochester Country Club held a gymkhana on September 26, 1903.  J.G. participated in the spoon and egg race, the potato race, the umbrella race, and played two pickup periods of polo.  J.G. won the potato and umbrella races.  The Democrat and Chronicle described the races:

  • Spoon and egg: "In the spoon and egg contest, the rider is provided with a ladle.  He dismounts and with the ladle lifts an egg from the ground without touching it, remounts and rides off to the finish mark with the egg remaining in the ladle. If he drops the egg he is compelled to go back after another."
  • Potato:"In the potato race...each contestant was obliged to ride to a given point, dismount and [pick] up a potato from a pile, and mounting again, return and drop it into a basket. This was repeated three times."
  • Umbrella: "In the umbrella race, the rider starts from a certain point to a flag where the ladies are. He is presented by one of them with a cigar, match and umbrella.  While mounted he must light the cigar and raise the umbrella and ride off to the finish flag with the cigar still lighted and umbrella raised properly."