CONTESTED AT COUNTRY SPORTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2504, 19 March 1902, Page 71

CONTESTED AT COUNTRY SPORTS.

UXDER "JUST AS YOU PLEASE" RULES.

In nearly all things few will deny that there is nothing like a change. Now in the course of a summer season some enthusiasts will attend quite a large number of athletic meetings of various kinds, and towards autumn, perhaps, are fain to confess that on© can grow a little tired even of watching "all the champions." What a variety, howevei, is to be obtained by turning one's attention to the various minor little sports meetings that are from time to time held in out-of-the-way country place=. Perhaps, not knowing, you may doubt this statement. Then let us actually, go to a few of these unpretending affairs and &co

what the programmes actually provide for VI. Item No. 1, the "Firemen's Duel." which the first picture shows, ought to be a capital diversion for hot weather. Each competitor holds the nozzle of a hose, supplied from a email hand-worked hydrant, and his object 13 to so direct the stream of water as to cause his gasping opponent to turn tail in order to gain breath. The fiist^ of the pair to do so loses the "Duel." Note the judge, with protecting umbrella. As competitions of the nature of these that we are noticing are not hampered by a number of bothering rules and restrictions, there is, naturally enough, scope for all sorts of innovations. Consequently we find the promoters inventing a pleasing assortment of unexpected contests, well calculated to tickle the palate of the most jaded sports frequenter. The second picture gives evidence of this, •nd chows a reversal of the usual tug-of-

war business. Here the contestants push instead of pull, using a substantial pole in ] : cu of a rope. A ring, as shown by the t'.otted line, is drawn around them, and the team pressed aver this are the losers. As will be understood, those who are being pressed back ha\e only to step to one side with the pole in order to ;/*eatly nullify the effect of their opponents' pressure upon it. Thus a deal of tricky skirmishing about is involved.

Garden roller races ha\e been ?xperi- ( mented with before now. They aie, how- ! ever, exceedingly dangerous, the garden | roller being hardly built for speed work, and very apt to steer erratically when going at any pace. | No. 3, as illustrated here, is a hoop-trund-ling competition. This is a running race, in which the competitors bowl hoops, which which have to be steered through rows of apple-topped bottles, over which the racers ' jump, and along " bridges " of planks, as shown. As each " bridge " is only one plank wide, much sprinting takes place ■

to get to it first, .s two hoops cannot run over abreast. The winning trundler ha? to give his hoop a sounding blow as he cros:-es the tape, to ensure that lie doe* not timply . 6end his hoop on in advance to secure the prize for him. . I At the back is shown " rick swarming" in progress. One competitor starts from the I foot of the ladder, aud scales the rick ; the , other drops from .he rick, rushes to the , latlder, and mounts it. They thus go on as | fast as possible, till one or the other sue- ( coeds in catching his opponent. " Heats " | can he run off, a- depicted, t»o at a time. ( No, 4 picture ap\c< u~- a "Noah's Aik" 01

animals' \\\cc — '' liwn= mkT tigers strictly barred" Here you b.me? any demesne 01 small farmyard animal that you thoo-e. place it upon tiio stdiUßg hue, aud^ by j

expostulations, entreaties, and even muttered "threats, endeavour to induce it to proceed towards the winning post. Dogs, cats, fow's, ducks, geese, pigs, guinea pigs, rabbits, hedgehogs, and so forth are most usually seen in such contests, and seen very often proceeding in an exactly opposite direction to that in which they have been headed.