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THE BREEDER AND SPORTSMAN
PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY THE
BREEDER AND SPORTSMAND PUBLISHING CO

MISS ANNIE OAKLEY

EDITOR BREEDER AND SPORTSMAN:- In your issue of July 23rd appears an article signed "A California," which is so far removed from the truth in many particulars that I, as a regular correspondent, cannot help by endeavor to enlighten your many readers on the subject. The Wild West show is meeting with great success - immense crowds at each performance. "A California" says that Miss Smith is knocking the English shooters crazy, and that she has performed before all the Royal family and was presented to Queen Victoria, and that the Queen took her gun in her hand and examined it. The facts are these: Miss Oakley, Miss Smith, Mr. Nate Salisbury, Buck Taylor and Col. W. F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) were all presented at once on June 11th, they bowed and retired. There was no handling of gun or personal conversation, so Miss Oakley was not left out in the cold any more than the rest of them. I am highly pleased with the excellent performance of Miss Smith, or Mrs. Willoughby, as it is understood she is the wife of one of the cow-boys, and consider her a marvel with the rifle. It is also a great pleasure to note the performance of Miss Annie Oakley with the shotgun. Miss Oakley recently gave an exhibition on the ground of the London Gun Club of which Viscount Stormont is President, and the Prince of Wales a member. Miss Oakley at that exhibition killed eighteen blue rock pigeons out of twenty-five, a feat unexcelled that day, and if it had been in competition would have won the challenge cup. The club expressed their high commendation of the achievement by presenting to her, through the Prince of Wales, the Club Gold medal valued at two hundred and fifty dollars. His Highness on handing the medal to Miss Oakley said: "I know of no one more worthy of it." So far as I can learn this is the first time the medal has ever been presented to a shooter. Since that time Miss Oakley wone $250 in a sweepstake match at blue rocks, killing twenty-eight out of thirty at twenty-five yards rise; this, I believe, is the first prize ever won by a lady at their world-renowned grounds. Miss Oakley also gave an exhibition of rifle shooting before the members, shooting coins thrown in the air with the ball cartridges, and did some very fine work, a shilling which she shot being kept by the President as a memento of her visit. At the time Miss Smith performed before the Royal family, so did Miss Oakley, and so did the Indians and cow-boys as in the daily performances, and at the time that the Queen was present no one but the Royal personages were admitted.

"A Califronia" forgot to mention that the time

THE BREEDER AND SPORTSMAN
PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY THE
BREEDER AND SPORTSMAND PUBLISHING CO

MISS ANNIE OAKLEY

EDITOR BREEDER AND SPORTSMAN:- In your issue of July 23rd appears an article signed "A California," which is so far removed from the truth in many particulars that I, as a regular correspondent, cannot help by endeavor to enlighten your many readers on the subject. The Wild West show is meeting with great success - immense crowds at each performance. "A California" says that Miss Smith is knocking the English shooters crazy, and that she has performed before all the Royal family and was presented to Queen Victoria, and that the Queen took her gun in her hand and examined it. The facts are these: Miss Oakley, Miss Smith, Mr. Nate Salisbury, Buck Taylor and Col. W. F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) were all presented at once on June 11th, they bowed and retired. There was no handling of gun or personal conversation, so Miss Oakley was not left out in the cold any more than the rest of them. I am highly pleased with the excellent performance of Miss Smith, or Mrs. Willoughby, as it is understood she is the wife of one of the cow-boys, and consider her a marvel with the rifle. It is also a great pleasure to note the performance of Miss Annie Oakley with the shotgun. Miss Oakley recently gave an exhibition on the ground of the London Gun Club of which Viscount Stormont is President, and the Prince of Wales a member. Miss Oakley at that exhibition killed eighteen blue rock pigeons out of twenty-five, a feat unexcelled that day, and if it had been in competition would have won the challenge cup. The club expressed their high commendation of the achievement by presenting to her, through the Prince of Wales, the Club Gold medal valued at two hundred and fifty dollars. His Highness on handing the medal to Miss Oakley said: "I know of no one more worthy of it." So far as I can learn this is the first time the medal has ever been presented to a shooter. Since that time Miss Oakley wone $250 in a sweepstake match at blue rocks, killing twenty-eight out of thirty at twenty-five yards rise; this, I believe, is the first prize ever won by a lady at their world-renowned grounds. Miss Oakley also gave an exhibition of rifle shooting before the members, shooting coins thrown in the air with the ball cartridges, and did some very fine work, a shilling which she shot being kept by the President as a memento of her visit. At the time Miss Smith performed before the Royal family, so did Miss Oakley, and so did the Indians and cow-boys as in the daily performances, and at the time that the Queen was present no one but the Royal personages were admitted.