OTAGO HUNT CLUB

Otago Witness, Issue 4039, 11 August 1931, Page 54

OTAGO HUNT CLUB

MEETING AT NORTH TAIERI. Although the day was cold and dull, n very successful and enjoyable hunt was held on Saturday afternoon at North Taieri, when Messrs D. Leiihman. A. P. Gibson, and A. M’Millan placed their properties at the club’s disposal. The going was a bit on the heavy side, especially at some of the take-offs and landings. Two horses fell in the mud at one jump, but neither horses nor riders were injured. Notwithstanding this, the jumping was very good. Dandy, ridden by Miss Isabel Reid, who has been absent from the hunt for some weeks, jumped well, and another hone that has been jumping well this season is Rosethorne (a chestnut gelding by Rose Noble) This horse should be hard to beat in the open event at the point-to-point meeting. Heather Lad, who is qualifying for the Hunt Club Cup Steeplechase, did not seem keen on jumping the first few fences,

but, when given a lead over by Rosethorne, showed a big improvement, and from then on jumped well. Provided he keeps sound, his chance in the Hunt Club Steeplei hase cannot be overlooked. Owing to one of the paddocks being ploughed since last hunting over these properties, two jumps had to be cut out, and this made the jump off the road into Mr M’Millan’s property hard for several of the followers, as they got practically no run, and quite a number of horses baulked. An interested spectator was Mi: s Mary Statham, who is one of the club’s most ardent supporters, but, unfortunately, she met with an accident in the Maheno district some weeks ago, and is not yet well enough to ride her hunter. Red Rata.

Among those following were: —The master (Mr J. N. Murdoch) on Kismet, acting deputy master (Mr R. C. Greenslade) on Mount Mavora. huntsman (F. Kydd) on Stately, whip (D. G. Binnie) on Starset, Miss Zoe Rutherford on Hillman, Miss Isabel Reid on Dandy, Miss Edna Greenslade on MacGregor. Miss Ida Pinder on Star Tractor, Miss S. Thomas on Malaga, Messrs R. S. Sleigh on Beau Sabreur, B. M'Gregor on Bonny, D. M‘Ara on Tanner. T. A. White on Roscthorne. B. Hastie on Mystery, 11. Abernethy on Heather Lad, J. Lock on Major. B. Green on Apollo, W. Smellie on Barney. J. Lyon on Scotty. A. Souter on Royal Flower. A. Cassells on Air Valve. G. Ledingham on Traction. J. Winder on Koremata. S. M’Kay on Joker. N. Robertson on Kiwi. A. S. M’Kay on Ardath, and several others who did not follow. On account of the Australian Rugby team playing Otago on August 22, the date selected for the club’s point-to-point steeplechase meeting, in which keen interest is being taken by the members, the committee will in all probability, at a meeting on Thursday night next, alter the date to August 29. The club has been fortunate in again obtaining permission f rom Mr James Gow to hold this popular fixture on his well-known property at Janeficld. Mosgiel, and. if the entries are as good as last year’s, a successful fixture should eventuate.

The club will hold two hunts on Wednesday for the purpose of completing the qualification of several horses that will be competitors in the hunters’ events at the club's race meeting on September 5. The first hunt will be held at North Taieri over the properties of Messrs W. D. Wright, T. Pugh, and A. Smellie, starting at 11 a.m., and the second will be held at Wingatui over the properties of Messrs R. C. Reed and James Gow, starting at 2 p.m. The final hunt of the season will be held on Saturday next at North Taieri over the properties of Messrs D. Leishman. A. P. Gibson, and A. M'Millan.