OAMARU TROTTING CLUB

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22712, 26 October 1935, Page 19

OAMARU TROTTING CLUB

JUBILEE YEAR CLUB’S PROUD POSITION Twenty-five years is perhaps but a short period even in the history of racing in this Dominion,'but 25 years of ever-in-creasing success, of popularity, and progress to the enviable position it now occupies in New Zealand sport, is history of which the Oamaru Trotting Club mav well be proud.

It speaks volumes for the type of sportsmen who have for so many years associated themselves with the management of this progressive club—a type never better exemplified than in the club’s ever-popular president, Mr M. J. Hannon, and his colleagues on the Management Committee, Messrs George Bruce and Robert M’Dowell, stewards of the club during the whole of the past 25 years. Such a wealth of experience on the Management Committee, gained in years of national adversity and prosperity, must have been a factor, to no little extent, responsible for the successful conduct of the club’s affairs. In a short history of the Oamaru Trotting Club, compiled on the occasion of its silver jubilee, many interesting names and facts are recorded. Although this

is the jubilee of the club as a totalisator club, it is mentioned that two nontotalisator meetings were held prior to 1910. These were conducted in June and December, 1909, 18 bookmakers handling the public’s investments on the first occasion, and 13 on the second —10 inside the course and three outside. The total stakes for the inaugural meeting of June 10, 1909, amounted to £285, approximately one-half of the stake of a single race on the programme of the coming meeting on Monday. The stewards for this early meeting included the following;—President, Mr William Gardiner, jun.; vice-president, Mr J. R. Mitchell; stewards —Messrs G. Bruce, E. A. Jones, A. Potter, J. W. Freeman, T. A. Munro, E. Conlan, D.

Kennedy, T. Meek, P. C. Hjorring, J. O’Brien, G. M. Proctor, and R. A. M'Dowell, and to these pioneers of the sport in the North Otago district much credit must be given for laying down a solid foundation, on which a prosperous club had been built, and for piloting the club through an area of prosperity in the early and vital stages of its career. Most of these have passed the Great Divide, but of the original members, Messrs G. Bruce, R. A. M'Dowell (stewards), J. O’Brien, and J. R, Sewell (life members) still take a very active interest in the club’s affairs. The officials of 1909 also included several well-known sporting enthusiasts of the present time, such as Mr

L. C. Hazlctt, who acted as starter, and Mr llruce Christie, clerk of scales. The first totalizator meeting saw £4910 pass through the machine, the second £0393, and thereafter a steady increase was maintained until the peak was reached on Labour Day of 1928, when the totalisator handled just under £30,000 for the day. The club owes much of its popularity and success to the wise choice of its early officials of Labour Day for its spring meeting. For 12 years the club raced only on this day, but an additional permit was then obtained, and raced under in 1925, and each year thereafter, this meeting being generally held about the second week in May. It is most interesting to note that during the whole of the 25 years of its existence the club has never experienced a financial loss on any meeting. The club has been fortunate: indeed in its

choice of presidents, each, one in his years of office building to that sound structure left by his predecessor. The names of those who have occupied this are recorded as follows: —Mr W. Gardiner, Mr J. R. Mitchell, Mr P. C. Hjorring, and Mr M. J. Hannon. The club originally raced on property leased from the late Mr John Buckley, a property which the club eventually purchased. In 1928, however, under a trust ordinance, the club acquired in conjunction with the Oamaru Jockey Club a splendid area on the west side of the Main North road, and established what is to-day one of the finest appointed courses outside the metropolitan areas. Up to the present time a sum approximating £20,000 has been spent by the joint clubs in the establishment of modern stands, stable and totalisator accommodation, and racing tracks. A scheme of beautifying has been in operation for some years now, under the guidance of a landscape expert, and the near future will see natural beauty added to the many attractions of this excellent course. The club will celebrate its jubilee on the occasion of its spring meeting on Labour Day, and the congratulations and good wishes of every patron of this sport will be extended to tjie. club for the success of the meeting.