During the past hundred years or so there have been a number of most proficient horsemen. In the early days the riding was principally done by members of the military forces stationed in the colony. Since then our riders have achieved fame, not only on the Australian race tracks, but also in England, Germany, Austria, Russia, India, China, Japan and the East India Islands. Early racing reports are very brief, and rarely is the rider mentioned. However, as the sport increased in popularity, the Press gave details, which mentioned the names of the winning riders. Thus we read Mr. Broughton and Mr. Rouse, two of the early owners, rode their own horses. Among the early professionals were Dunn, Badkin, Hedly, Marsden, Cashman, Ford and John Higgerson. The most remarkable of those old-time jockeys was John Higgerson who, in his 95th year, met with fatal injuries through the accidental discharge of a gun. Higgerson commenced riding in races when about seventeen years of age, and in his fifty-fifth year won the Champion Race at Flemington after a dead heat between Tarragon and Volunteer; time, 5 min. 47 sec. As the principals could not agree to divide, mainly owing to Tarragon’s owner, Mr. Town, not being present, the dead heat was run off, when Tarragon won in 5 min. 58 sec. In October of 1857, at Flemington, Higgerson rode Veno, when he beat Alice Hawthorn (S. Mahon) in the great match for £2,000 (3 miles). The same afternoon, on Cooramin, he beat Tomboy (R. Mitchell) in a match for £200 aside, 1½ mile, and two hours after winning the match against Alice Hawthorn, Veno saddled up again and beat Van Tromp (S. Mahon) over three miles. The stakes in this last contest were £700, Mr. G. T. Rowe, who owned both Veno and Cooramin, laying £500 to £200. Higgerson also won the match on Ben Bolt, beating Lauristina. A complete history of Johnny Higgerson’s career in the saddle would fill a volume. John Cutts was one of the best of our old-time riders. He won the first two Melbourne Cups on Archer, also the first St. Leger, at Homebush, in 1847; on Whalebone and the Queen’s Plate at Homebush in 1851. He was the mount on Lady Morgan in the Champion Race at Randwick in 1860. James Ashworth, who was principally connected with the Byron Lodge stables, had a remarkable riding career. Some of his notable wins were on Zoe, Talleyrand, Glencoe, Goldsbrough and The Barb. During the latter period of his life he acted as Clerk of the Course at Randwick. Contemporary with Ashworth was John Driscoll, who, in 1857, won a race at Parramatta on Blue Bonnett. Ten years later he won the Melbourne Cup on Tim Whiffler. In after years he became landlord of the Blind Beggar Hotel, at the corner of Liverpool and Oxford Streets, Sydney.