The Horton-Keitch Feud

The Horton-Keitch Feud was a famous and intense rivalry between the two leading racing broom manufacturers of the early twentieth century: a company founded by Basil Horton and a competing firm established by Randolph Keitch. This commercial conflict was defined by their aggressive competition to create the most popular and advanced broomsticks on the market. While the rivalry ultimately led to both original companies going out of business, it spurred significant innovation in broomstick technology, most notably the creation of the revolutionary Horton-Keitch Braking Charm. The feud's legacy was cemented by the subsequent formation of the Comet Trading Company by former employees of both firms. (Quidditch Through the Ages)

In the competitive Quidditch-focused market of the 1920s, the companies run by Basil Horton and Randolph Keitch were dominant forces in broomstick design and production. Their rivalry was fierce, with each trying to outperform the other in speed, handling, and new features. This intense competition, while driving innovation, seemingly proved financially unsustainable for both entrepreneurs. Ultimately, both Horton and Keitch were forced to cease operations. However, their influence did not end there. In 1929, a group of their former employees joined forces to establish a new company, the Comet Trading Company. This new venture pooled the talent and expertise from the two defunct rivals, directly leading to a new era of broomstick design. The first model produced by this new company, the Comet 140, immediately became a market leader, in part due to a key feature born from the combined knowledge of its creators. (Quidditch Through the Ages)

The most significant and lasting legacy of the Horton-Keitch Feud is the Horton-Keitch Braking Charm. This patented charm was a groundbreaking piece of magic that gave riders far greater control over deceleration and stopping, making flying safer and more precise. The invention of this charm is a direct result of the competitive pressure and combined knowledge from the two original companies. The Horton-Keitch Braking Charm was first incorporated into the Comet 140 broomstick in 1929. This feature prevented Quidditch players from overshooting goals or flying offside as frequently as they had on older brooms, and it quickly became a highly sought-after feature. The success of the charm ensured that the Comet Trading Company became a major player in the broomstick industry for many years to come, and braking charms became a standard component on subsequent racing broom models from all manufacturers. (Quidditch Through the Ages)

• Basil Horton: Founder of one of the two main competing broomstick companies.
• Randolph Keitch: Founder of the rival broomstick company.
• Comet Trading Company: The successful company formed in 1929 by the former employees of both Horton and Keitch.

• All canonical information regarding the Horton-Keitch Feud, its participants, and its impact on broomstick development comes exclusively from the supplementary book, Quidditch Through the Ages, written by J.K. Rowling under the pseudonym Kennilworthy Whisp. The feud is not mentioned within the seven core novels of the *Harry Potter* series.