Willowbridge celebrates centenary of first Grand National

Press, Issue 33842, 14 May 1975, Page 9

Willowbridge celebrates centenary of first Grand National

(By

J. J. BOYLE)

It will be almost like Brigadoon, Kiwi style . . . the Willowbridge district will come alive after 100 years on Sunday to re-enact the first running of the N.Z. Grand National Handicap.

On May 18, 1875, a general holiday was called in Waimate when the New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase Club staged the first New Zealand Grand National over “fair hunting country” on the property of Michael Studholme.

Happily, the centennial of that occasion is being celebraged next week-end on the site of the original Grand National.

Sunday’s celebrations should bear the successful fruits of a prodigious amount of work done by a committee headed by Mr J. C. Studholme, a grandson of the New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase Club’s first president. The Prime Minister (Mr Rowling), who is a patron of the organising body, will be driven around the course early on Sunday afternoon and will unveil a plaque marking the site of the first National. Soon after will come the central attraction of the day — the New Zealand Grand National Centennial Steeples. But before that race, and after, there will be a marked variety of attractions, contests and displays — a parade of Grand National winners with a commentary by Mr David Clarkson; a military display; an appearance by members of the Waimate Hunt with the hounds; vintage cars; presentation of awards for period costumes and the best beards; pony events, and other competitions.

The formation of a New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase Club came about as a result of a meeting held in Timaru in 1874. That club conducted the New Zealand Grand National Handicap as a moveable festi.J for the early years until it was taken over by the Canterbury Jockey Club in 1888.

But before those South Canterbury enthusiasts formed the Grand National Steeplechase Club steeplechase meetings had been held in 1873 and 1874 on Mr Michael Studholme’s land at Willowbridge. The main event in 1873 was known as the Interprovincial Steeples, and won by Mr H. Schluter’s Honest Jack. The 1874 contest was termed the Grand Interprovinciai Steeples, and was won by Theodora, owned by Mr R. Fraser. STAKE OF £lOO The Willowbridge course for the first New Zealand Grand National on May 18, 1875, included post and rail fences, also a water jump demanding a leap of 18ft. It was for a stake of £lOO, with a sweepstake of 5 sovs. each added, and was won by R. Reay’s aged mare Medora under 12.7. P Campbell’s Tommy Dodd, ridden by the owner, was second.

F. Hedge’s Ivanhoe, was paraded for the race, but because the horse was not quite at his best after being cast, he was ridden back to the saddling paddock at flag fall. Dan O’Brien, later to become widely known as the man who bought the champion Carbine as a yearling but sold him as a spring three-year-old, rode Medora in the first Grand National. And he did not find it all plain sailing. Medora was left with a long lead after Tommy Dodd baulked twice at one fence, which was just as well for her and O’Brien, for she fell at the water jump. O’Brien was able to remount her and canter her to the winning post for first prize. Medora reappeared later in the day for the Waimate Steeplechase Cup, this time ridden by her owner, Mr R. Reay. She was again in trouble at the water jump,

stumbled on landing, and shot her rider over her head. Reay remounted, but by this time the combination had been passed by the eventual winner which laboured under the intriguing name of Lunatic.

All the action of that day was not confined to the steeplechase course.

The licensed booth under the grandstand did a roaring trade, and as the afternoon wore on fights broke out — there were as many as half a dozen couples going hammer and tongs at the one time, according to one report.

While the police were trying to restore order, one of their horses took off in fright, and charged in the direction of the woman running the wheel of fortune. The horse scattered objects on all sides, but the woman escaped without injury. MISS A FENCE Fred Hedge was one of the central figures in the Grand National of 1881, run near Timaru. Hedge finished first on Clarence, and was followed home by Sailor Boy. Realising that Sailor Boy had missed a fence, and that Agent had fallen late in the race, giving his rider, Horry Lunn, a heavy tumble, Hedge weighed in smartly, gathered some lead, and hurried back to remount Agent and complete the course for second.

The second Grand National was run in the vicinity of the Riccarton racecourse and was won by Royalty, probably the only winner of the race to change hands on the result of a game of cards. Royalty jumped out of his paddock some days before the big race, and his owner, Mr Cardale, gave up hope of finding him. Mr F. Brittan played Mr Cardale a game of cards on

the understanding that if he won he took over all interest in the missing Royalty, and if he lost he was to pay his opponent $5.

Mr Brittan won the game and a few days later Mr Cardale found Royalty, which won the National over a course that included a ditch and bank fences, post and rails, and a 15ft water jump. The 1877 race was run over a natural course in Captain Cain’s paddocks near Timaru and was won by Fakir. AT OAMARU Oamaru was the venue in 1879, and The Agent recorded the first of his three victories in the race. The Agent won again in the following year, in Christchurch, and after a break of four years had his third triumph, again over the Christchurch course. At the annual meeting of the Grand National Steeplechase Club held at Timaru in October, 1884, it was resolved that the race should be held at one and the same place, this rescinding the rule which provided for the change of course annually. It was then agreed unanimously that the meeting should in future be held in Christchurch. In 1888 the Grand National Steeplechase Club ended its association with the race, and a race already famous up and down the land came under the control of the Canterbury Jockey Club. The Canterbury Jockey Club changed the name of the race from the New Zealand Grand National Handicap to the New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase Handicap. As a measure of interest in Sunday’s celebrations, the Canterbury Jockey Club has donated $250 to go towards the prize for the feature event. EYE-WITNESS The late Mr E. C. Studholme, who helped his father, Michael Studholme, flag out the course for the first Grand National, wrote

the following account m his book “Te Waimate”: “Though a mere boy of nine years at the time, the writer was present at 1874 and 1875 fixtures and has a vivid recollection of the proceedings. The fences were deuced stiff post and rails; natural gorse fortified with rails; and the water jumps, three fences from home—P6ft overall, made up of 6ft of water on each side and ■ a 4ft wide sod wall in centre, capped with a rail ,3ft 6in in height. The ditches were straight sided and deep, and if a horse put its foot into the water, that was the end of it.

“The attendance at these' early meetings was small.! but people and horses came from as far afield as’ Christchurch and Dunedin J The last 200 yards or so of; the straight was roped off, and the Clerk of the Course, E. H. Cameron,' kept the way clear with' a 15ft stock whip, which; he used very freely at’ times. Michael Studholme was judge, committee, [ handicapper and selector of the course at most of j these early meetings, the judge’s box being a bul-i lock dray. The clerk of the scales was M. Mitton, assisted by C. H. Dowding, who managed the Coldstream run at Rangitata.

“After one of these meetings, some of the riders had a final flutter into the Waimate township, finishing up by jumping into the police station yard, but could not get out again and had to wait until one of the force unlocked the gate.

“The grandstand at Willowbridge was about 40ft square, the course running right round behind it at one stage of the race; the drinking booth and weighing room were underneath. The result was that the occupants of the stand had plenty of fights to watch between the races. In the Maiden Plate (Steeples), the whole field of six fell at the fence in front of the stand, and one excited squatter, Elworthy, called out ‘Grand race, all down!’ ”