Animals: Hurdler v. Jumper

When a man outruns a horse, it isn’t news. Last December Jesse Owens beat a race horse over a hundred-yard course in Havana, but it is an old carnival stunt. A man reaches his maximum speed in a few seconds. Over limited distances he can run up a big lead before the horse gets going. But last week in Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., a man-&-horse race was given a new twist.

Olympic Hurdler Forrest Towns had been doing training camp work there to make up University of Georgia credits he lost last summer when he went to Berlin. A track meet was scheduled for Visitors Day, and Hurdler Towns, a fine all-round athlete, was expected to dominate it.* Admittedly he could beat any man at his specialty. Question was: could he beat a horse? Forthwith he was matched against Tommy Roberts, a prize cavalry horse in the light hunter (jumping) class. U. S. Army qualifications for such a horse : must be sound, five years old, 15 hands high. Distance: 120 yds., Tommy Roberts to jump high hurdles. Towns to jump low hurdles. Because a horse has a long stride, they were to use only five hurdles.

Last week, before 2,000 spectators, Hurdler Towns and Tommy Roberts (ridden by Private Marvin Henry) raced. Hurdler Towns ran off to a long, early lead. Between the fourth and fifth hurdles he stepped in a hole, was thrown off stride. Tommy Roberts came on rapidly. Over the last hurdle Towns squeezed ahead to break the tape, but mainly because Tommy Roberts tried to jump it. The result: Hurdler Towns by a nose in 13 sec. flat. Said he: “I’ll take two-footed racers in the future.”

Wailed Private Henry: “Ten more yards and we’d have beaten Towns.”

*Hurdler Towns won the 100-yd. dash in 10 sec., the high jump at 6 ft., anchored a team that won the 880-yd. relay. His Troop F won the meet.