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Lieut. Colonel Harry M. Llewellyn, C.B.E., looks like Alec Guinness, talks like a Noel Coward character and rides a horse as well as Sir Gordon Richards, England's beknighted jockey. In fact, Llewellyn, an old steeplechaser, placed second in England's 1936 Grand National, the annual 4½mile race over the toughest jumping course in the world. At Madison Square Garden last week, over a more sedate series of jumps, Llewellyn and his mount, a handsome, strapping (17 hands)' bay gelding named Foxhunter, were star attractions at the National Horse Show.
Foxhunter is the Man o' War of show jumpers at an age (12) when most horses are just beginning to master the jumping facts of life.* In a six-year career at the hedges and fences, Foxhunter has won more than 90 blue ribbons in international-jumping competitions, captured Britain's George V Cup three times, and placed twice in the Olympic games, a bronze (third) in 1948, a gold (first) in 1952. Foxhunter is, as Llewellyn lovingly calls him, "a great athlete."
Mutual Admiration. Foxhunter and Colonel Llewellyn appear to form a mutual admiration society. "We have a rapport, a liaison, don't you know," says Llewellyn. .He and Foxhunter have long "conversations," one-sided, naturally, but Llewellyn insists that the horse understands. In the partnership, "Foxhunter is the senior partner," and does most of the work. Llewellyn's job: "To place him," i.e., pace the horse between jumps so that he will arrive at the proper take-off point.
Last week, hitting the take-offs with precision and soaring over the barriers with the grace of a Pegasus. Foxhunter & Co. topped all but one of the international competitors from Britain. Ireland. Canada and the U.S. for the Royce A. Drake Memorial Trophy. In the jump-off, with some of the bars raised to 5 ft. 3 in. (Foxhunter has cleared 7 ft.), the partners again put on a flawless performance to win cleanly.
Sense of Security. Next day Foxhunter & Co. came a cropper. Approaching a tricky triple bar, the colonel placed Foxhunter too far away ("It was my fault"). Foxhunter balked and the colonel took most of the jump alone. "Part of the game, don't you know," said Llewellyn, ruefully rubbing his swollen face. (As part of the game, Llewellyn has taken seven spills in seven years that have been bad enough to cost him a whole upper front plate each time.)
Reluctantly—but sensitive to Foxhunter's innermost feelings—the colonel withdrew his star temporarily. "He's lost his sense of security . . . Psychologically, he doesn't like jumping indoors." Added Llewellyn: "I'm very fond of that horse, and I hate to show him where he doesn't display his regal splendor."
* A jumper does not usually reach his peak until the age of 15 (ten years after most race horses have retired). The U.S.'s best jumper in recent years was Democrat, an Army remount horse, who was retired, finally, at 20, still in top form.