Country-Life Fashions At Hunt Races

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29271, 1 August 1960, Page 2

Country-Life Fashions At Hunt Races

The Christchurch Hunt’s annual steeplechase meeting, regarded as a curtain-raiser to the Grand National meeting, has, nevertheless, a strong identity of its own.

Its individuality is seen mainly, as a friendly gathering of country folk with a genuine interest in horses and hunting, who watch the racing with a knowledgeable eye. Some of the country visitors travelled more than 200 miles to see the day’s sport.

For its 1960 meeting, held at Riccarton on Saturday, the hunt was favoured by a glorious late winter day, sunny, windless, and warm. The meeting was also well patronised by city race-goers as well as out-of-town visitors. Dressing was mainly in the country-life style—tweeds of all weaves worn with gay silk scarves, casual felt hats, sensible walking shoes or winter boots. Occasionally a walking-length umbrella in a contrasting colour to a suit or coat was seen, or shooting stick. Too Warm for Coats When the programme opened most women were wearing topcoats, a little uncertain of the weather, mild as it was. But many coats were discarded when the sun broke through the haze for the second race. Then appeared a striking variety of well-cut tweed suits with belted, straight, bloused and fitted jackets, just right for the day. Brown and green tweed mixtures predominated, with brown and blue and blue and greens a close second. Here and there vivid blues and reds stood out in a background of muted colours. Suede Jackets Suede and leather jackets in attractive winter shades, worn with slim tweed skirts, were also very popular with town and country patrons. Soft, easy-to-wear felts in the new Garbo slouch styles and sou-westers were attractively teamed with tweed suits and coats. On a card of eight races women owners won three. Mrs J. S. Hamilton (Hindis Pass) won the Westenra Hunt Cup Steeplechase again with Chief Cashier; Mrs L. K. Page (Riccarton) won the

Brabazon Handicap with Cheyenne, and the North Island owner, Mrs D. S. Waugh, won the Lawford Hack and Hunters’ Steeplechase with Tepeta. Mrs D. C. Gould, wife of the Master of the Christchurch Hunt, wore a small powder blue felt hat, a brown and white tweed coat finished with a brown peter pan collar edged in white. Mrs Gould presented the Westenra Cup to Mrs J. S. Hamilton, owner of Chief Cashier. Mrs Gilbert Grigg, wife of the president, wore a, suit of blue and tan checked tweed made with a straight cut jacket and worn with a taupe upturned felt hat. Mrs J. Montgomery, vice-presi-dent of the hunt. Wore a tomato red top coat over her grey suit and a small olive green hat. Guests of Hunt Guests of the club included farmers and their wives, over whose property the hunt has followed hounds during the season. Country visitors included the following:—Mr Angus Macdonald, Master of the Brackenfield Hunt, and Mrs Macdonald; Mr and Mrs H. D, Greenwood, Mr and Mrs John Douglas-Clifford, Mr and Mrs B. G. Rutherford, all of North Canterbury; Mr W. J. Fuller, secretary of the Starborough Hunt, and Mrs Fuller, of Marlborough; Mr and Mrs J. H. Grigg (Longbeach); Mr W. R. Lemon, Master of the Ashburton branch of the Christchurch Hunt, and Mrs Lemon; Mr lan Ritchie, Master of the South Canterbury Hunt, Mr and Mrs Harold Elworthy, Mr and Mrs H. H. Jordan, and Mr and Mrs B. Thomas, of South Canterbury.