THE DUNEDIN HOUNDS AT WAIKOUAITI.

Otago Witness, Issue 2059, 10 August 1893, Page 31

THE DUNEDIN HOUNDS AT WAIKOUAITI.

Friday last, by invitatidnirom Mr Orbell and other residents, this pack,- accompanied by the master (Mr W. H. Taggart) and half a dozen straight-goers from Dunedin, with their horses, journeyed to Waikouaiti. On arrival; Mr Allan Orbell and others were in-.attendance to give them a hearty welcome, and as-, soon as the hounds and horses were, uutrucked conducted them to the Golden Fleece," where comfortable quarters ' had be6n prepared. Atter doing jufctice to an excellent /dinner .which Mrs M'Keemau had provided, a' move was made to inspect the country to be negotiated and lay the drag. The run Jaid out was near the township, and- the * spectators had a view of the run nearly -^the whole distance, houses with balconies' being- at a premium . As the time drew near for throwing .off, horsemen began to pour into the town lin large numbers on all descriptions of steeds, frW the pony to the plough horse. There were,. however, a few good cross-country horses to >c picked out amongst them. The run must have been over four miles with about 20 jumps. The ground, owing to recent heavy rains, wassboth heavy and slippery. The fences" to be surmounted were gorse hedges and post and rails — a run likely to try the condition arid cleverness of the horses and the nerve and skill of the riders. Frank Smith, on Potens, acted as huntsman, Poole and James Allan being at the Christchurch National. Mr, R. Driver, deputymaster, acted for the occasion as whip. Mr Reid was on Te Kooti i the treasurer on Rattler ; Mr Skitch, brother to Bluelight ; Mr Allan Orbell, a big bay -/Mr H. Orbell, Robin; Mr E. Orbell, Mick ; Mr Jeffs, Tanting ; Mr H. Cockerill, Over ; Mr Ayres, Moonshine ; Mr D. Cockerill, Glenora; Mr Shaw, Rangiora; Mr Malloch, chestnut mare.; Mr Heckler, Mario ; Mr Ewen, chestnut gelding ; Mr Cantwell, Lucy Glitters; Mr Chatham, Blueskin Bill; Mr Beasly, Mistake. ~ A good many farmers' wives and their comely daughters turned out to see the fun. To Mr Allan Orbell the thanks of the district are due for getting up the day's sport, backed up as he was in the most generous manner by the gentlemen who gave the use of their land for the occasion. As showing the love of sport in this fine district, I may state the land crossed was occupied by seven different farmers— Messrs J. 'Randall, M'Geary, Maxwell, Townsend, , Heckler, M 'Bride, and Flannery. The -first .three or four fences to be crossed being easy' ones, all went merry as the proverbial marriage bell, and vaised hopes in many a. breast soon to be extinguished, as for many' ambitious riders the beginning was very near the • endr" jjJeariDg a I farmstead three or four stiff post and'rails were well taken by the first flight". . The treasurer on Rattler was close up to the huntsman, with Mr Driver oh old WaitaDgi, Mr Skitch on" the grey,Mr Allan Orbell on the bay "cob, with Mr Reid on Te Kooti ajl going, well and leaving the fences behind them ' intact. Then came a striDg of horses, 'some getting over but hitting timber terribly 'hard and others baulking— then two rideriess horses, '', A crash of broken rails and some/beaten h^prse had made a gap which was takSn-full advantage of by the rear division. Tho.?eV|n the -front rank pursned the even tenor orV their waypwith the exception that Rattler, bounding through a hedge, came down, and the soft embraces of Mother Earth, owing to?tEe soft- nature of the, soil and the quantity adhering to; him, had so altered his rider's -identify that- he might have been taken for a visitor from the Kaik, of which there wero several. IA" few ny>re gorse hedges, a jump into a district !abe, then a straight gallop of half a mile',., a gorse jump into a grass paddock, and' the tun finished, both horses and hounds, owing to. the trying nature of the run, being pretty .well' bio w'n t About the first of the local division to be. up were Mr Skitch on the clever greyi Me Allan Orbell, Mr Apes, and Mr CockerHlj vThe treasurer on Rattler, and Mr Reid on Te'Kootf, were close up, and Mr Driver,' who .disoh^rged his honorary position of whip .satisfactorily. At intervals horses and riders kept coming in, it being strictly in evidence by the appearance of some of the laggards tbatth'ey.had beerrhunting. After the hounds were blooded, ai.cap was made, to which the meet .'responded iliberally. A second run was theh"had, the hounds for some distance gettiDg the better of the field. Mr Drivor this time followe_d~.the treasurer's bad example, the safe black coming down through taking off out' of 'a mudhdle. After parting company with his rider ha took a couple of fences on his own acpoumV^-Other oasualtieß were Mr Chatham and Mr BeaßJly, whose mounts both came down, and I think' afso Mr Cockerill, on the good-looking bay. / -The - rein bsing finished, a move was made for the township. After refreshments at the • Hostelry, l^ a large crowd assembled in front Df ' the- Go'den Fleece to watch the departure of th,6 puricdinites. As they thronged round the, p.ack, Mr > Taggart called for three cheers for 'Mr Allan Orbell, which were given with a will.' " A 'simfjiar compliment was paid the visitors, and after wishing them bon voyage a move was. made for the train. , :J .