THRILLS AT THE SHOW.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 4260, 4 November 1933, Page 2

THRILLS AT THE SHOW.

STEER JUMP FROM RING

BABY’S NARROAV ESCAPE

There were some exciting incidents in connection with the steer riding contests at the Alanawatu Association’s Spring Show, a child in a perambulator having a narrow escape from injury. The animal, ridden hv Air G. Boswell, of Marton, made a spectacular leap over the fence surrounding the oval, rushed between two ears, and then bore down on a perambulator containing the three months’ old baby of ATrs Sivcrsen, of Duncan Terrace, AA’cllington, a visitor to the show.

The. animal, however, swerved slightly to avoid a collision, but could not prevent one of its forefeet from striking the perambulator and capsizing it. The steer partly fell to its knees. Rising again, it charged hack at a small car with lowered head and then galloped away toward the stock pavilions. The rider was still on his mount, but as more steeplechasing .seemed to he pending, he threw himself off and made for the nearest safety point. Horsemen went in pursuit of the steer, which continued round to the hack of the stock pavilion. Its sudden appearance surprised a number of farmers engaged in absorbing studies of the stock there. The last seen of one of them was running for a fence as he never ran before. The horsemen finally rounded up the animal. The perambulator was damaged, the under-carriage and a wheel being smashed and the cane body twisted. The baby emerged entirely unharmed. After this exciting episode other steers began to show an aptitude for clearing fences. There was a fiirther incident when a steer ridden by Mr G. AVright, of Silverhope, dashed up to ati iron fence and cleared it, nearly battering down a gate as it. got into the horse-saddling enclosure. It left behind 'a badly dented fence.

The crowd again scattered as horsemen chased it round and ultimately returned it to the ring. The rider had been thrown at the initial hurdling essay. The next bullock, while the pursuit mentioned above was still pi'oceeding, made for the same place, the spectators being uncertain which side of the fence to choose. This third steer rammed the fence and hutted a rider who had just previously finished on another mount and rolled him over. An elderly spectator intent on watching the episode was caught unawares from behind and bowled over unceremoniously by a bullock inside the show ring.