Lord Ripon The greatest shot of all t ime

Some personal reminiscences of a giant of the shooting field who was chiefly proud of his billiards

-  LIEUTENANT - COLONEL CYRIL FOLEY

As the years roll on a higher standard of individual accomplishment is attained in most sports, but I very much doubt if anyone will in the future exceed or even equal the efficiency of the late Lord Ripon as a shot. He had a trait common to most people who excel in one particular branch of sport, which takes the form of hinting at their proficiency in any pastime other than the one that has made them famous. I could quote many examples. The late John Sargent, RA, would generally sit down at the piano and play you a tune before he showed you his glorious works; the late John Porter almost invariably took you to see his orchids before you were permitted to go round the Kingsclere stable; and I have never, in 40-odd years, heard Lord Lonsdale, one of the greatest horsemen living, mention any equestrian feat of his own.

Lord Ripon, as I have already said, was no exception to the rule. The first time I met him was in 1884, at Eton, when I was 15 years old. My father had come down and had taken my brother and myself to lunch at the White Hart. We met Lord de Grey as he then was, walking up the Castle Hill. My father introduced us and said: “If ever you boys become half as good a shot as he is, I shall be proud of you,” to which de Grey answered: “I’ll play ’em at billiards, I’ll play ’em at billiards,” and walked.