CAVALRY TOURNAMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2433, 31 October 1900, Page 32

CAVALRY TOURNAMENT.

The oavalry tournament, held during the annual' training of tho Otago Hussars, took place at Tahuna Park on Saturday afternoon. Although it was wet in the morning and in the early part of the afternoon, the rain cleared off about 3 o'clock, and it remained fine for 'the remainder of the day. Had it cleared up sooner, there is reason to believe that a very large number of persons would have visited the park, but as it was there was a fairly good attendance. The programme comprised the usual number of events, but it was almost dark before the final was got off. By that time most of the public had left the ground. A considerable amount of interest was manifested in the various competitions, for which there were, in most instance?, agoodly number of entries. In addition to the competitive events, there was a display by the squadron, which went through a number of drill movements, concluding with a circular ride. Tho Garrison Band "was in attendance at the tournament, and discoursed sweet music at intervals throughout the afternoon. The following are the results of the various events: —

Tent Pegging.— Trooper Dow 1, Acting-ser-geant Williamson 2, Trooper Farquharson 3, Trooper Garr 4. Twenty-six others competed. Cutting the Lemon. — Acting-corporal Thomson 1, Trooper Eenton 2, Trooper Landels 3, Trooper Farquharson 4. Thirty others competed.

Lloyd-Lindsay. Over jumps by sections. Two firing points. Rifles may be carried in holsters or at advance. Dismount by sections at firing points; fire three volleys kneeling. No. 3 of section in meantime leading horses round a flag placed about 50yds to rear of flank. Seven sections competed. — Sergeantmajor Templeton, Acting-corporal Allcock, Trumpeter Allen, and Trooper Gardiner, 1 (time, 3mm 16 2-ssec) ; Sergeant Grieve, Actingcorporal Currie, Troopers iirrkland and White, 2 (time, 3min 35 4-ssec) ; Troopers Ellison, Leskie, Buckley, and Charlton, 3 (time, 3min 58 4-ssec); Acting-corporals J. B. Thomson and Richards, Troopers Sanison and Hazlett, 4 (time, 3min 47 4-ssec). The competition proved a highly interesting one, and was well contested. The winning team did good ~ work throughout, although one of the riders' horses came down when negotiating the last jump. Sergeant Grieves section also had a man down, and lo3t considerably in time. The jumping and leading generally, however, were excellent. The third section made numeious mistakes, and lost points in nearly every department of the competition.

Night Alarm. Sections of four men. Horses picketed at one end of park; midway are laid saddles, bridles, jackets, caps, belts, aims, etc. ; and men lying behind them, heads on saddles, side nearest horses. Alarm sounds; jump up, and either dress and carry gear to horse or briiig horse to gear. Form section; No. 3 to mount; Nos. 1, 2, and 4 keeping a yard apart ; double up to finishing point ; kneel and fire a volley; No. 3 bringing up horses. After firing volley all mount. Each section to advance straight to its front, and complete section to be foimed before moving off. Points given for time and completeness. Six sections competed. — Sergeant-major Templeton, Actingcorporal Allcock, Trumpeter Allen, and Trooper Gardiner, 1; Acting-sergeant Miller, Troopers Apss, Ellison, and Leckie, 2 ; Actirg-corporals Thomson and Richards, Troopers Hazlett and Samson, 3; Sergeant Grieve, Actmg-sergeant Williamson, Corporal Currie, and Trooper Findk^, 4. The first section, was decidedly the best in point of time; but the third was better in the gear than the other Wo.

Rescue Race. In an enclosure at end of run, protected by ' a firing, party, was placed a dummy for each man. The competitors jumped in, dismounted, placed the dummies on their horses, mounffed, jumped out of enclosure, and galloped back to starting point. Twenty competed. — Trooper Gardiner 1, Corporal Allcack 2, Trooper Ellison 3, Trooper > Farquharson 4. The first man won by half a. length, and there was a head between third and fourth.

-Sword v. S\vord. By single man, provided with masks and different-coloured plumes. Fight not moie thMi. two minutes. Cavalry cuts and guards. Fourteen competed. — Trooper Charlton 1, Trooper Wright 2, Trooper Farquharson 3, Tiooper M'Queen 4. In the first round Trooper M'Queen beat Trooper Hazlett, Sergeant-major Templeton beat Leckie, Trooper Charlton beat Acting-corporal Thomson, Trooper Farquharson beat Actmgcorporal Currie, Trumpeter Allen beat Sergeant Grieve, and Tjoopers Samson and'Wrighfr each had a bye. In the second round M'Queen beat Templeton, Charlton beat Ellison, Farquharson beat Allen, and Wright beat Samson. In the third round Charlton beat M'Queen, and Wright beat Farq&haison. Charlton then beat Wright and got first place, Wright being second. Farquhar&on then tried conclusions with M'Queen for third place, and won.

Pursuing Practice Over Hurdles. Jumps to be taken with swords at slope. Pursuing piactice lo be cut at the gallop between jumps in section's own time, after command of assault by No. 1. Four sections competed, the result being as follows: — Seigcant major Templeton, Acling-corpoial Allcock, Tuunpeter Allen, and

Trooper Ellison, 1; Sergeant Grieve, Actingsergeant Williamson, Troopers Currie and Kirkland, 2; Acting-corporals Kichß,rds and Thomson, and Troopers Samson and Hazlett, 3 ; Troopers Landels, Finnegan, Farquharson, and Clarke 4. COMPETITIONS DTJEINa THR WEEK. The following are the results of competitions that have taken place during the week : Best Trained Horse. — Acting-corporal Thomson, 1; Acting-corporal Allcock, 2; Trooper T. Geary, 3; Trooper Samson., 4. Best Turn-out. — Sergeant Morice, 1 ; Trooper Samson, 2; Acting-corporal Richards, 3; Trooper Dow and Trooper Samson, 4 (equal). Best Kept Tent. — Acting-corporal Allcock, Trumpeter Allen, and Trooper Gardiner, 1; Acting-corporal Porterfield's tent, 2; Actingsergeant Miller's tent, 3. The following gained sword badges given for the best ten swordsmen : —Sergeant Grieve, Act-ing-sergeant Miller, Acting-sergeant Williamson, Acting-corporal Richards, Trooper Allen, Acting-corporal Thomson, Trooper Dickson, and Trooper O'Beirne. The Champion Challenge Shield was won by Acting-corporal Thomson, with 2S points; Act-ing-corporal Thomson being second with 27 pointa. Trooper Gardiner was third, and Sergeant Major Tempi eton and Trooper Allen were equal for fourth place.

The camp broke up between 3 and 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon.