AN OLD CLUB

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 20, 24 January 1924, Page 11

AN OLD CLUB

STILL FLOURISHING

THE CHATHAM ISLANDS MEETING.

One of the oldest, if not the oldest racing club in New Zealand is the Chatham Islands Jockey Club which was formed about sixty years ago; and which held its first registered meeting in 1873. Only on one occasion (1897) haa the club missed holding a cup race, so that next year will be the Cup Jubilee. There are also races for horses of varied merit, and what the club lacks in modern facilities it makes up for in enthusiasm. It is interesting to nota that the first president of the club, Mr. T. Ritchie, is still alive and is living at Aria, Te Kuiti. When the club first came--into being, the other officials on the management committee comprised Messrs. E B Chudleigh, A. Shand, J. Aukland, and R. M. Rayner, the latter being also secretary. The rules were constituted at a meeting of members held in the Mangoutu Hotel, Chatham Islands, on the 28th April, 1873, when it was resolved that they should come into operation forthwith. A prominent resident of the Islands sends the following interesting account of the annual meeting, held on the 28th December, which has just come to hand by the last mail. "The meeting was held in indifferent weather, there being a heavy westerly wind, and rain before the races finished. The events were ■ keenly contested, and the entries were a record as far as the club was concerned. The first race was a hurdle event of two miles, with nine 3ft\&n jumps. Only four started, the smallest field of the day. The winner was Mr. C. Wishart',s Elderberry, and the second horse was Muhirau. The time, 4min 22sec, was excellent for the course, in fact, owing to the dry track, all the times were fast. The track ha's never been measured accurately, and \ have reason to believe that most of the distances are over the correct length. The next race, a maiden race of one mile, was won by Maori Cheque, Petoitoi filling second place. Tune, lmm 58sec. The race of the dtiy, the Chatham Cup, again went to Moana, which is an old horse of fifteen years, and which has secured' the Cup seven tunes in the last eleven years. Motohara was second, and Gee Whiz was close up third. Time, lmin 58sec. In the Ladies' Purse, of 1J miles, Hahui, Mr. J. H. PrendeviHe's. entrant, after leading the field brilliantly once round, ran off the course. Eventually Bhe was persuaded to return, and' was successful in driving the rest of the field home. Ventilation, the winner of the Chatham Islands Stakes for three-year-olds, is by Royal Mac out of Ventrola, and ,Sanodora (San Francisco—Adora) the second horse, is one of the last of; San Francisco's stock. A? peculiar coincidence m the Jockey Club Handicap, of 2i miles, wa3 that the placed horses were in the same order as in the Cnp, Moana again securing first place.* Two more events, the Waitangi Plate, and the Consolation Handicap, together with numerous hack races, made up the programme, which' was one,of the best arranged by the club., It is hoped that some imported horses will be present at the Cup Jubilee Meeting, in 1924."