WOODEND SPORTS.

Press, Volume XXV, Issue 3228, 5 January 1876, Page 3

WOODEND SPORTS.

The annual athletic sports and horse races, announced to be hold on December 30th, were postponed from that day, partly in consequence of the wet weather at that time, and because by the adjournment it was anticipated there would be an opportunity for issuing a'fuller programme and increased unanimity between the public of the township as to the manner in which they would be held might be brought about. In this the managers acted very wisely, as the result on Monday last showed. Each year the interest in this annual gathering appears to grow stronger, and the manner in which the sports were conducted bt-ars evidence to the fact that the committee manage things tetter than formerly. Although a bullock roasted in Maori fashion and distributed among the Maories in former sports programmes proved an attraction, yet ou this occasion most persons would be glad to see it omitted, and the afternoon more pleasantly taken up with ath'etica or local races with local horses competing. The events came off in a j-adduck lent by Mr Thompkins, close to the ! Wood end Hotel. All the arrangements on ihe ground were satisfactory, the courses denoted by proper flags with distinguishing pennants at the starting points and tne finish of each event ; tente provided for committee and competitors ; and a monster copy of the "correct card " displayed on a huge board in the centre of the paddock. One or two members of the constabnlary force were present to keep order, if necessary. The band of No 5 Company C.B.V. discoursed fife and dram music during the day, and if the tunes were not various they were played with a deal of youthful vigor. BtaUe for confectioners were to he met with, as well as a veritable and. loqoaciQßl cheap-jack. There

rt»ere no than -fire- ;y.under_and over serSfl," or lottery tables, whfch~areTJeat kept *wey from social gatherings of this description, and judging by the limited patronage bestowed it ie satisfactory to be able to state they 5 were Dot liberally patromeed. Mr Thompkine presided at the publican's booth. The management of the sports and races were in the hand* of an energetic committee, of which Mr B. H. Uicholson was the indefatigable secretary. The stewards of the races were Messrs Palmer, Barton, Bowie, Hinge, Bickare, Clayton, McQuillan, and ZtlppJcich; judge, Mr Barton; starter, Mr Gone; handicappera for all ■ races, Meesre Bickurs, Cone, and Hinge. In the sports, :Mr Zuppicicti was starter, antJ Mr B. Clayton , clerk of the course and beTl 1 ringer. The appearance of W. Edwards, the pedestrian, on the ground caused some amonnC of excitement, and opinions were "freely given that he would not be able to complete Iris tasfe of walling thTee and a half miles \ within half an hour. As the result shewed, he wae pretty evenly matched against time, when he had finished his journey in six seconds within the time. All the events were pretty welJ contested, especially the horse racibgj whici was entered into witi a considerable amount of spirit and good will. The respective winners wi7F be seen in tbe detailed list of event?.- Several minor race? were got off, including s few eventsfor children, in which the prizes were of a heterogeneous character, or small sums of money. Jumping m sacks, vaulting, a three-legged race, and wrestling match were not finished when most of the'sightseers had left the ground. The following- were the events:— Men's Flat race, one mile (handicap)— Ist prize, £1 lOs ; 2nd, KM. G. F. Maddison ... .„ .. v 1 B. J. Reeve ... ... ... 2 J. Knowles and C. Moody also entered. The winner led from the start, ReeVe keeping second, Knowles third, Moody falling out early in the race. Men's Flat race, one mile, open to allcomers —Ist prize, £1 ; 2nd, 10s. E. J. Beeve ... I A. O. Brunsden ... 2 Maddison was also entered. This race was got up in place of the 880 yards hurdle race, which did not come off. The result was , a spirited spurt between Reeve and Brunsden. Men's 440 yards race (handicap)— Ist prize, £1 ; 2nd, 7b 6d. E.J. Beeve 1 E. Murfit 2 Moody and Knowles also entered. Single Women's race—lst prize, silver cruet; 2nd, pair of boots. A. Murfit ... 1 A. Eder * 2 There were several contestents for this prize, and a smart run in took place between the winners. Men's Bunning High Jump—lst prize, 10s ; 2nd, ss. A. McQuillan 1 Walking race—One mile ; Ist prize, £1 10s ; 2nd, 10s. G. W. Wearing 1 C. Prebble.... ... 2 Brnnsden also entered,- and started at scratch, Wearing at 20 yards, Prebble at 80 yards. The former left the race early. A short distance from the start Wearing went to the wrong side of a flag, and lost half the 60 yards between him and Prebble. Wearing was never headed, and came in winner about 25 yards. Prebble'e style of walking was generally admired. W. Edwards v Time—ln this match Edwards had to make fourteen circled over the course to complete the distance of three and a half miles, that he was backed to cover within thirty minutes. He was watched with eager interest, and at the end of every lap cheered by those, present. The fourteen laps were done in 29min 54sec. Hurdle race of 6 soys ; second horse, 1 soy ; entrance, 10s ; about 1J miles, over nine flight of hurdles ; 3 yrs, Bst 71b ; 4 yrs, 9st 71b ; 5 yre, lOst 91b ; 6 yra and aged, list 71b Mr J. Bowie's Barmaid, 3 yrs... (Mnrfit) 1 Mr T. Weston's Lion, 3 yrs ... (Owner) 2

Barmaid went away with a clear lead and held it; Liou and Pedro made an exciting race for second place; Tukawai was never in the race. The horses took the timber well, Lion doing his best to demolish it and make a. clear course.

Woodend Cnp (handicap); open to all comers ; £7 ; second horse, £1 ; entrance, 12s 66"; weights to be declared on the ground ; two rofTee Mr Bramley's b b Manuka, aged, 12st

(W. Murfit) 1 Mr J. Ward's g f Colleen Bawn, 3 yrs, 9st

(H. Ward) 2 Tommy Dodd went away with a strong lead, Barmaid second, and Manuka third. At the second round the leading horse went off the course into a Maori oven, but again reached Manuka, which by this time had passed Barmaid. On the third round it was close racing between Manuka, Tommy Dodd, and Colleen Bawn; Barmaid nowhere. At the fourth round the second horse bolted off the course, and the race was between Manuka and Colleen Bawn, the latter keeping np to the girths of the former. In the fifth round, which was an extra portion of the race as it transpired, Colleen Bawn's rider was jostled, but the race being then over the protest was withdrawn.

Publicans' Purse, £5 ; second horse to save

his stake ; entrance, 7s 6d ; no weight T tmde/ , lOst; distance, one and a half miles, Mr Cone's Jimmy (Derritt) 1 Mr E. Murfifs Tommy Dodd ...(Owner) 2 Mr B. Collins's Prince (Owner) 0 Mr H. Murfit's Shillelagh ...(Owner) 0 Shillelagh started the running, with Jimmy second and Prince third, and this position was maintained during the second round. At the third round Jimmy closed up and took the lead, with Tommy Dodd second and Prince third. In this order they raced home, the final spurt being a very close thing. Faimers' Plate, £4 ; second horse to save his stake; entrance, sa; distance, one mile;

catch weights. Mr Cone's Jimmy ... (T. Lynskey) 1 Mr Ward's Colleen Bawn... (Ward) 2 Mr J. Conway's K&te Kearney (J. Murfit 0 Mr J. Power's Nelly ... (Baylis) 0 Mr McQuillan's Rebel ..'. (G. Gibbs) 0 Colleen Bawn made the running, with Kate Kearney second. Rebel went off outside a Sag. At the second time round Jimmy collared Kate and Colleen Bawn, and came home with a good lead. Consolation race for Beaten Horses. Mr H. Murfit'e Shillelagh ... (Owner) 1 Mr McQailtan's Rebel ... (G. Gibbs) 2 Mr Conway's Kate Kearney (G. Mnrfit) 0 Shillelagh went away on the advance, Rebel second, and Kate third, in which order they came in to the winning post. Hurry Skurry. Six horsea were entered for thie event, and after a bit of hard racing, it was won by Shillelagh. A dance waa held in the evening, and the whole affair passed off right pleasantly.