CONCLUSION OF THE CALEDONIAN SOCIETY'S SPORTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume I, Issue 41, 30 December 1879, Page 4

CONCLUSION OF THE CALEDONIAN SOCIETY'S SPORTS.

The sports were .continued on Saturday at the grounds in use by flip Society, and the weather being i» every W»J faWT» ble, a large crowd was attracted to the ww. It will be remembered that only #> fey, and these the least attractive, of the events were pulled off on Friday, so that there was left for Saturday quite a good sports in itself. The course remarkably well kept, and scai’cely any ditfiewlty was experienced by the Ground Stewards in keeping the crowd within bounds. The Cofewitfeem«n were as energetic as they were the previous day, and their efforts seemed today to carry fesk with them, everything going well, and everybody being in the best of humor. One Mile Handicap. Groves, 150yds 1 Organ, scratch 2 M'Farlane, 200yds. ... 0 Organ was handicapped clean out of this race, and although h» made a plucky spurt in the last round, he could not pull up the distance given to Groves, who ran a game race throughout, winning easily. M'Farlane never had a show, and gave up on the third round. He ha? g good style, and ought to improve as he ages, WRESTLING. John Flaher 1 Charles Bnprke 2 The last struggle was a moral, the first thr jw was given a no-fall, bgj the second hold was a grand display of science #nd muscle. Bourke, by far the lighter man

of the two, showed grand play, but Flaher’s strength told in the end, and ho concluded the event by a splended back throw. Boy’s Running High Leap.— l, Price, 3ft. lOin. Macfarlane came up well on the winner, and all jumped well. The entries were Gaukrodger, Escott, Leitch, Maclauchlin, Permain, Louis, Price, Jameson, and Macfarlane. 300 Yards Handicap. D. Gilmour, 12 yards ... 1 Organ, scratch 2 Simpson ... 3 The handicap was a good one, as all the men;finished in a bunch, the second and third men being so close that it was difficult to distinguish who breasted the tape first.- Organ fouled a flag and was baulked otherwise he would have probably been first. Irish Jig—Men ; Ist prize, L 3 ; 2nd, 30s. Immense interest centred in this event, and eight entered for the competition, Mr. Con O’Boyle fingering the flute neatly, and giving high satisfaction. The first to take the platform was Mr. Michael Loughlan, a Kerry man, who beat the hoards in graceful and chaste style, and in first rate tune. We should set him down as an honest, straightforward dancer, who knew what he was about, and what a jig was like. Then came T. Gleeson (from County Limerick) got up perfectly for the part he had to play, with a full supply of tho “ green,” and wearing proper corduroys of just the proper length. He went to his work like a business, and had only done a step or two when he took the crowd’s fancy, and elicited the applause of the ring. Mr. A. Williams, a Dublin County boy, took up the strain left by Mr. Gleeson. He, too, was “dressed” for the jig, and his get up was very neat, but not a bit more taking than his pattering.” Then followed our own man Mr. Cullen, a very graceful dancer as most of Ashburton know, and he did not show to any disadvantage amongst the day’s competitors. Mr. T. Sullivan was “ his successor on the platform—active and energetic, and with all an Irishman’s fire and spirit. Then followed the brothers Fitzgerald, quiet, neat, and unostentatious who won much favor of both the judges and the crowd. Mr. Murray, an Aberdeen man, was the last, but though he danced well he did not fulfil all the conditions of his entry, and he was disqualified. The judges had a difficult task to perform in making their selection, aid after due deliberation they awarded the prizes to Gleeson and Sullivan —equal, an extra one going to Williams. Throwing the Hammer —l6l b. ; Ist prize, L2 ; 2nd, LI. W. Furneaux, 63ft Bin., ... 1

M'Knight, 62£t Cin, 2 Quinlivan, 61ft2in, ... ... 2 The throwing was not up to the usual average. Wrestling —Collar and Elbow, prize, L 5. Entrance money to go to 2nd prize. The canvas jackets necessary for this event were not provided, and a makeshift in the shape of sacks with holes cut for heads and arms were made use of. There being no sleeves attached to the sack by which a proper “ hoult” could be obtained, a dispute arose on the first struggle betwenFlaher and Furneau. The next struggle was something immense. Flahor’s “clothes ” came off, and a sort of scrabbling match followed —Sometimes one on top sometimes the other, but the judge (Mr. Stitt) could give no decision. The “sackcloth” costumes suffered most in this event, and after several attempts to get the men to compete again, the event was abandoned. Three Legged Race—loo yards ; prize, 30s. Five pairs started for this race, but two dropped out of the running near the goal, the order of winning was J.eft thus : Organ and Risely 1 Morsehead and Guy 2 M'Dowall and Gilmour ... 3 Running Hop, Step, and Jump—--Ist prize, 30s ; 2nd, IBs, This contest was not interesting, and resulted as follows: — Mike Maloney, 37ft. 2in. ... 1 J. Guy, 3(ift, Sin 2 Ike Anderson, 36ft- 3ip. ••• 3 Running Long Jump— lst prize, 30s ; 2nd, 15s. Guy won this event with a bound_ of jUsf|fc., Mooney being second with 15ft. Bjn. Singlestick.—Prize, LI. There were tw proper weapons, and willow switches had to be used. Grant ••• ? Broadbelt 2 Watson 3 WALKING Match —Men, 2 miles ; Ist prize, L 3 j 2nd, 30s. John Smith (220yds) ... 1 J. Baylis (250yds) ... ..... 2 Burke (100yds) 3 Stewart and Gleeson also started. Highland Dancing. Swobp pANOE (Crhilie Galium); Ist prize, L 3; 2nd, 395, For this event only three goiflpetitors entered. Murray’s footing of the cross swords was just perfect. M‘Rae s was as nearly so as may be, and Calder without doubt danced remarkably well. Murrayjgot first place, and M‘Rae second, the judging for second place very difficult. Highland Fling— lst prize L 3,295. The same competitors entered for tins S 0 f/oy Ghilie Galium, but the awards were siigjhtiy different. Champion Murray, of Gourse, won fifst honors to the Athole elan, while Gakler," the Gordon representative, got second. M-'Bfte (Su%rljand) was a fair third. Piper Eider ble w bravely ip this event, as indeed on all occasions when he was required to “ sfegek his chanter,” and the dancers were in high feather with their piper. HiGHi,A>if/ P-BEL— Ist prize L 3, second 30b.

A new competitor was sddpd 1° the list for reel dancing, in the person of MfGeorge Kidd, and after a few figures had bpen gone through the judges awarded. The showed that Mr. Kidd had not entered in vain, ferjje got second prize, Mr. Murray being first. Best Dressed Highlander—prize £S. All i]w men on the ground in the national entered fer this competition, but after some plfisg judging the prize was awarded to Messrs.. Kidd ft»d Colder—equal. Old Men’s Race— Over 40 years ; 100 yards ; Ist prize LI; 2nd, 10s. Four yeterans entered for this spin. They were gajpg old chaps, and covered the ground in a manwsr that would not have disgraced younger runners. The baker won, and the little publican was a jpoft second.

Handicap Consolation E.ACt —For boys and men, 200 yards ; Ist prissy, L2 ; 2nd, LI. M‘Farlane ... ... ... 1 Guy ... ... 2 The sports finished just in time to allow everybody to get out of a drizzling rain that began to fall at seven o’clock, and very soon after the ground was thoroughly deserted. Notwithstanding the wet, the brave Highlanders marched into town, following their piper, and after the whistles of all had been “ wet,” they paraded the streets of the town for an hour, when the rain had ceased. All things considered, the first meeting of the Caledonian Society must be written down a success, and tilt experience gained by certain little hitches, that occurred will be val cable next year.