PAKURANGA HUNT CLUB.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 4899, 30 July 1877, Page 2

PAKURANGA HUNT CLUB.

The meet of this Club at Fllerslie on Satur<tay drew together one of the largest assemblages which has occurred this season. Tho weather was beautifully fine, the distance from town inconsiderable, and the promise (jf good sport was encouraging enough to at tract a very largo number. Some availed themselves of the train, but in addition to this means of >tioti, thorc was scarcely .1 h'>r.-c in the city •.vhioh could lie rented or borrowed which was not pressed into the service, the number of buggies r.nd traps beiir' vei'v large. Ibe attendance of tlic fair sex. was very considerable. 'Ilie meet

v.-.is at t!u Ellerilic Hotel. One liaro was stirtcl, but as it was known that there was to be a stiir dr.-._,' bunt, the riders reined up their horses, and puss got away without much trouble. The drag started from t'ic Kllerslie Hotel, and took a course around the hack of the Harp of Krin, and crossed the ("ireat South lload into the I-Jlerfllie Itacveoursi;. Here it took the steeplechase course, and tel minated at the back f f tlic Kllerslic Hotel. It was a stiti trying cotir.'ic, and there wore only two checks the entire distance, jnc being at the entrance to the racecourse, ami the other at thu top of t])'i hill. The pace throughout was pretty fa'it, and the jumping, on the whole, Amongst the horses whicu were in the liehl were Don Juan, a steeplechaser recently imported by Mr. Morrin. He was ridden by Mr. Nolan. Jfe is a fine, tall horne, a good jumper, and led the way for some distance up the hill at the back of thu cour.sc. Butcher Boy (ridden by Mr. Ihicklatid, jun.), Rare/ (ridden by Mr. . Clark), Sliaiinecn (ridden by Mr. H. \\ hit- : aker), Pointsman (ridden by Mr. JJunnott) Ifdesman, Backntonc, Cocky, and other well known steeplechasers were in the meet. Thu speed coming into the death, which was fixed for the Panmurc Road, near tba hotel, was so great that the hounds were outstripped, and fully twenty-five were in at the death. Afc this point, or rather at the final jump, two accidents occurred. Mr. J. M. Clark was thrown, but escaped without serious injury, and Mr. fl- Whitakcr \va«3 also thrown, Shanneen becoming iu some way entangled at the wall. Horse and rider fell, but the rider escaped unhurt. Not so the horse, however, for he was severely cut about the hind lc-gs. the sinews of one of them being cut above the and it id feared that he will ue rendered comparatively valueless. Mr. Dullnetc also met with a peculiar accident. Ho was riding Pointsman, and when coming round at the back of the Harp ot Erin his horse under a clothesdiue, which Mr. DuuneLthad not observed, but it caught his chest or throat, and he was pulled backwards out of th-j sad-He, the horse guing clean from undfr him. With the exception of these casualties, the day's sport was a thoroughly good one, and made those who witnessed it wish that a greater number of the meets of the season were held at some convenient distance from the city.