WOODEND SPORTS.

Press, Volume XIX, Issue 2705, 1 January 1872, Page 3

WOODEND SPORTS.

-fW annual rural sports at Ifoodend were held «a Fi-iday last, in a paddfpk lent by Mr Bailey, the _iorse races taking |iace in a field ..belonging to -Mr Bowie. Froman early hour till the last event came off thfre was a very fair attendance f>f visitors, afl the weather . was all that could be desired jbr the success of the sports. The paddock -*__ admirably adapted for the reqairementsjof the day, it having also been planted witha belt of flags to mark out the winning coupes, as well as .with a roped enclosure made ir the wrestling, and some of the other%ames. The Volunteer fife and drum band, jrom Kaiapoi, discoursed several lively while the devotees of terpsichore tripped i on the green. Mr Wild presided at a publicans booth ; Mr B. Wilson, of Kaiapoi, and o&ers had confection stalls. A variety of fmall games, including the time-honored D>odlem Bucks and the hoary-headed Aunt Sa|y, were open for patronage. All present appeared to enjoy themselves in moderation. T_i young people tscemed to be cared for by tie committee, -who distributed among them 550 pieces of spice cake and milk galore. Maori tribes from the Kakpoi pa were provided with a bullock, for wiich the price of £2 10s had been paid froa the sports funds. This they roasted in tie Maori way outside the field. The cookbg operation over, and the meat done to i turn, it was borne into the paddock by the natives in processional order. Mr George Peter Mutu explained the nature of the custom amongst the Maori _ wlo entertained their guests in a similar way as the Europeans had that day chosen to entertain them. After thanking the sports committee for their liberality, the Maoris, weee ranged in circular rows ; the beef and bread, which was first delivered to the head of each tribe or family was then sub-divk_d to the respective members of the somewhat motley group, some of whom with' marrellou-ly tattooed visages did ample justice to the provisions. Iv consequence of the length of the programme, including as it did no ltss than twenty-nine events, four or five hal to be left out, including the men's 100 yaids race, hopping race, sack race,. bell aad pig hunt. It might be ljetter if in future the committee were to start with the programme earlier in the _»y thai 3 p.m. The children's races were "fell coitested, notably-the quarter-of-a-miie race 6r boys under 15. The men's races resulted in some very fair running, the competitors I awever were seldomv_ry much v_ried|either Mnrfitt, Horrell, or Smyth, vere certain to «S|e to the fore at the end. For the hWow . entries brought e;_t a keej conrunning high jumgor the vaulting -wei_\ o t go very exciting. ! The wr&ling prize f _*, to the lot of Scoonei In the horse races the*, appeared to be no little Lqterest taken, tho_gfcfh e field was and two dispute, «_s_. which wefe finally settled patfcegrtraai . j j

..... The committee, were Messra T, Smit_,H. Hinge, G. Palmer,. J. ,Bowie, W. Bowie, J. Pope, E. Murfitt, J7 Hamilton, J. Judson, H. Eder, R. Clayton, R. Atkinson, and F. C.Locke, secretary. The following are the events :— Boys under seven, 50 Yard* Race—lst 2s 6d, G. Seawood; 2nd is — Corrigan. Five entries. Girls under seven, 60 Yards Race—lst 2s Gd, Sophia; 2nd Is, K. Corrigan. Four entries. Boys under ten, 100 Yards—lst 3s, C. Eder*; 2nd 2s, J. Mounsey. Five entries. Girls under ten, 100 Yards Race—lst 3s, Lina ; 2nd 2s, E. Stevens. Seven entries. Boys under twelve, 150 Yards Race —Ist 4s. A. Wilson ; 2nd 2s 6d, 0. Eldridge. Five entries. Girls under twelve, 150 Yards Race—lst, 4s ;M. Eder, 2nd, 2s 6d, J. Mahar. Three entries. Boys under fifteen, 880 Yards Race—lst, 7s 6d, H. Sharplin ; 2nd,' H. Murfit. Nine entries. Girls under fifteen, 200 Yards Race —Ist, ss, E. Moody; 2nd, 2s 6d, J. Mahar. Four entries. Men's Flat Race, 300 Yards—lst, 15s, G. Wornall, 2nd, 7s 6d, E. Murfit. Six entries. Time, 37 sees. Men's Hurdle Race, $80 Yards, Eight Hurdles—lst, £1. G. Smyth ; 2nd, 10s, E. Murfit. Eight entries. Wheelbarrow Race, 150 Yards—lst, 10s, F. Horrell,- 2nd, os, J. J-dson. i Five entries. Married Women's Bace, 150 yards—lst, a sheep, Mrs Moody; 2nd, a dress, Mrs H. Clearer. Four entries Maori Women's Race, 300 Yards—lst, ss, Jemima : 2nd, 2s 6d, Cordelia. Four entries. The Maoris had to hare it decided first of all that the prizes were tc be equally shared, the winner to receive an extra shilling. Men's Flat Race, 1 Mile—lst, £2, E. Murfit ; 2nd, £1, R. Smyth ; 3rd, — Brandon. Five entries. Three-Legged Rac**, 150 Yards—lst, 10s, Wornall and Ashley. 2nd, ss, Horrell and Moody. Four pairs entered. Running High Jump, for men. Ties— Strong and Brandon, who divided the prize, lss, having cleared each sft 2in. Six entries. Running High Jump, for boys under fifteen. lst,ss, H. Muifit; 2nd, 2s 6d, J, Bean. ThrGG entries Men's Flat 600 Yards. Ist, £3, Brandon : 2nd, 10s, B. Murfit. Four entries. Murfit was first in,. but only took second prize, having previotuly won a first prize. Vaulting with Pole. Ist prize 10s, W. Scoone, clearing 8ft;; 2nd, ss, Stone. Four entries. Horrell andKnowles were out at 7ft and the pole appeared to be rather too short. Four entries. - One mile Flat Race for horses belonging to the district. Ist,! £2 10s, J. Rickur's Tackatoo ; 2nd, £1,- P. Fearne's Winner. Seven entries. This was a very fair race ; the other entries were, T. Sharplin's Peter Flat, A. Robinson's Jfaori Boy, F. Smith's Miller, G. H. Nicholson's Deerfoot,— Garrett's Black Bess. Tackatoo took the lead at starting but was at once headed by Miller, which kept the lead till being headed b"> the other two horses at the winning post. A dispute about the ownership of the winner was settled in Rickufs favor. , - One Mile Hack Bace. Ist, R. Buddick's Escape; 2nd, M. Duncan's Mickey Free. Five entries. One Mile Hurdle Rfce, over eight hurdles, for horses belonging ti> the district. : Ist, £2 10s, J. Rickur's Tackatoo. Three entries. J. Bowie's Dinah |nd T. Ball's Rainbow were the other entries? Rainbow came in first by a long distance, having taken all the hurdles, but at the top end of the course Bowie had ridden inside a flag, on which account he was disqualified. Tuckatoo knocked down the list hurdle. Rainbow's bridle broke, or _ would have been the winner by long chalks? <- Consolation Race forbeateu horses, £110s. T. Smith's Miller. Three entries. Black Bess and Rainbow were also started. Bess took the lead, and made a short run, but both horses were soon distanced by the Miller, though they tried hard to make up at the finish. Wrestling, Cumberland style. . Ist, £1, Scoone ; 2nd, 15s, Wheeler; 3rd, ss, Stalker. This finishes our list! of the events. In the evening a dinner was given by tbe committee at Ball's White Crane Hotel, and was numerously attended. .-=