STRATH-TAIERI SPORTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 58

STRATH-TAIERI SPORTS.

The Strath Taieri Caledbnan Socety held its annual sports gathering at Middlemarch on Wednesday. The weather was fine, although in the afternoon a strong breeze sprang up, which made things rather unpleasant for competitors and spectators alike. The Middlemarch Brass Band was. in attendance and discoursed music during the day. Th» track, as a result of the protracted dry weather experienced in the district, was rather hard for the running events, and would probably be the better of a covering of cinders. However, some good times were put up, all the events being well contested and got off punctually. The attendance was good, large numbers of people being attracted by the beautiful weather experenced in the early afternoon. The following are the results: — 100 Yards Maiden Race— First heat: Smith 1, Waters 2. Second heat. Spratt 1, M'Gee 2. Final: Smith 1, Waters 2, Spratt 3. Aleo started: W. Clulee, Rutherford, Tait, and Wilson. Smith had an easy win, both in his heat and in the final. 120 Yards Handicap — First heat: Massey, 10yds, 1; Turnbull, 6yds, 2; Smith, 2yds, 3. Second heat: Hanson, 4yds, 1; Clulee, 10yds, 2: Trotter, Byds, 3. Final: Massey 1, Hanson 2, Trotter 3. Also smarted: Rutherford 10yds, Thomson scr. Waters 6yds, Newman 4yds. M'Knight Syds, Spratt 7yds. Massey on the limit, had a fine «aay race in the final, being some 4yds or syds ahead of his field at the tape, Hanson and Trotter finishing second and third respectively. Bicycle Handicap, two miles — J. Wroble, sor 1: M'Laren, 40yds, 2; Hanson, 120 yds, 8, Also started: Withey aor,. Beattie 20yds, J. BilisMe 150 yds, R. Marshall 250 yds. A great race. Wroble, conceding his limit man 250 yds, had a hard task set him, but managed -to get In front Qovaiag^ into thg fltrategt ifl.

the last lap, and won by a length front M'Laren, Hanson being a yard away, third 1 . Hurdle Race (220 yds) — Trotter, Byds, 1} Wroble, 10yds, 2; R. Hanson, scr, 3. Also started : Massey 3yds, , Smith scr. Wroble led all the way untily after passing the last hurdle, when Trotter passed him and won by a, couple of yards, Hanson being third, a foot away.

Throwing the Hammer (handicap) — Tisdall (Bft), 81ft, 1; M Cameron (scr), 88ft, 2; Newman (3ft), 81ft 7in, 3. Also competed: IX Cameron 4ft, Hanson scr, Hamilton ljft» Massey 3ft, Moriarity 6ft. Putting the Stone (handicap)— Hamilton (lft), 34ft 9in, 1 (ljft), 33ft 3in, 2; Massey (ljft), 83ft sim, 3. Also competed:! Hanson scr, Moriarity lft, M'Gee lift Vimcent 2ft, Wroble lift, Cameron lft. Youths' Handicap' (120yds)— First heat:' M'Lennan. 10yds, 1;. Findlay, 3yds, 2; Webster, scr, 3: -Second heat: Tait, scr, I; 1 J. Spratt, 4yds, 2; A. White, 6yda, 3. Final:! M'Lennan 1, Tait 2, Findlay 3. . 220 Yards Handicap— Thomson, 12yds, l"r Hamilto-j. 9yds, 2; Turnfoll, 7yds, 3. Also started: Trotter scr. Smith 4yds, Newman; 9yds Poland 10yds, Clulee 12yds. A fine race. m m ? srllich the wi nner made all the running! 1 jT^l^'^Kr Bfcycl* Handicap.— Withey, «£f 3 ' «1;« 1; M' l^^, . 101 yds. 2j.,J." Beattie. 250 yds, 3. Aleo started: Wroble .scratch and! Hanson 250 yds. Wroble withdrew at the enct of the fourth lap and Hanson in the last lap but one, leaving the race to Withey,"M'Laren, and Beattie, who made * gre»t fight,- Withey maiisginfif to win irr =• t^i^-l-^n^fitr - ~~ One-mile Handicap.— Wroble, • 60vds, £;- Trotter, 20yds. 2^ J. Reid, 30yds," 3. Also started:' Lovell 80rds, M'Gee 30yds. Poland!" scratch, Clulee 40yds. This- was- a. fin© finish, the race being won by » .foot right on the tape.

440' Yards Handicap. — Thomson, scratch i' Turnb-ull, 2Qyds. 2; Cluke, 26yds, 3. Also started : Smith 15yds. This was a good race. Five-mile Bicycle Handicap.— Wroble scr., 1; M'Laren. 80yds, 2; Withey, scratch. 3. Also started : Hanson . 3COyds and Roxburgh 3Soyds. , This was a fine race, and a, very close finish the three olaced- men fighting to the last all through the last lap. Won bv> inches. -

Consoalion Handicap, 150 yds. — Newman, 3yds. 1 ; Clulee, 6yds, 2. Turnbull also started- in - i his event, which, was well contested. - - -■

Other items on the programme wete^— School Race, 12Oyds. won by Tait; Heavyweight . Wrestling (Cumberland' style), being ■won by Renwick, and Catch-as-catch-can, by Hanson. ""

Running High Lean. — Hamilton. sft lin, 1; T. Massey. Eft, 2; R. Kirk, 4ft Ilin. 3. Mr D. A. Kilgour 1 gave an exhibition of .Highland dancing, and a,., sailor's .hornpipe. . A dance .was held in, Ohei newly-erected Agricultural . HaJJ in the^ evening, when Hirarnel'a BaAd supplied the music. «md the catering -was in the hands of Mt Williams. Dancing was kept up till an early hour x>n the following morning by a large number of young people pxeptent. v