he Steeplechase

aron Von Lodge was the head of a small country known as Lilliland near Switzerland. The time was the early 1900s.

Several of the Baron's horseback riding friends had visited England and saw the famous steeplechase. They liked the contest so much that they asked the Baron if they could have a steeplechase event in Lilliland. The area around Lilliland Castle was just the perfect location and all that was needed was the Baron's permission to use the land and reserve the date.

The Baron, with Lady Angela of Alpine Castle, visited England to see some relatives and while there, they attended a steeplechase event. They had heard that some of the horses and riders that failed to complete their jumps suffered bad falls. Some of the jumps were over rock walls that could harm the horse and rider. And at the event that the Baron and Lady Angela attended, some of the horses and riders did fall.

Upon their return to Lilliland, the Baron had a follow-up meeting with the people interested in holding a steeplechase event in Lilliland. The Baron said that he saw the steeplechase in England and found it interesting and enjoyable for the most part, except for the horses and riders that had bad falls. The Baron granted approval of the event with several conditions. The conditions were that all of the horses and riders would be safe. That meant that all of the horses and riders needed to be experienced. The steeplechase would be open to all of the citizens of Lilliland and all of the jumps would be over objects that would break away and not hurt the horse or rider. In other words, at the end of the race when the winner was proclaimed, all of the horses and riders could salute the winner without injury to any of the participants. The Baron realized that in any event accidents may happen but in this case accidents were to be nonexistent, if possible.

The steeplechase was a fine event with all of the citizens of Lilliland attending to offer support. Every horse and rider made it through the course without injury.

Baron Von Lodge and Lady Angela said that it was such a fine event that they would do it again next year.