KING AT OLYMPIA.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13673, 15 August 1908, Page 3

KING AT OLYMPIA.

FIXE DISPLAY BY OFFICERS. The- interior of Olympia wore a very gay and beautiful appearance, when the King and Queen, with Prinetcs Victoria and a large suite,- entered the Ro}'al box on the afternoon of Monday, June 22nd. Not a seat was vacant. The promenade was edged with a deep border of. spectators, and the. flowers in die arena were looking as fresh 'as if the morning dew were still on them.

As a matter of fact, a great many of them had been planted during the luncheon interval; fresh turf had also been laid, and two gigantic gilt crowns filled with rlowers Were placed on either side of the turfed bank, as an emblem, no doubt, of the Royal visit. The show is most perfectly managed, every performance goes without a hitch, and no detail, is over-looked. It was therelore with the consciousness that they had something worth seeing to submit to their Majesties' notice that the Earl of Lonsdale, Lord Redesdale, and Sir Gilbert Greenall received the Royal party. They arrived just after the judging of officers' charges was completed, and the officers, to the number of twenty-four, remained in the ring' facing the Royal box, and saluted, what time the National Anthem was played by the band of the Irish Guards. Lieut. Colonel Gordon Wilson, of the Royal Horse Guards, carried off the first prize in this class with a fine black gelding, and he headed the parade of officers round the ring, finishing'up with a circus gallop to the "air of the "Merry Widow" waltz

Following came a show of winners in Gingle harness, led by Mrs. Edwin Goad, driving Westerham Pick-em-up, ' which had won the English Hackney Society's gold medal for the best novice in the morning.

The exhibition of registered American bred horses gave .Mr Walter Winans an opportunity _of showing off the paces- of two of his 'fastest'trotters in a sulky, which is probaly the purpose for which the event is contrived. Mr. Winans in his familiar tweed coat and wearing motor goggles had some rare bursts of speed past the Royal box to the evident interest of its occupants. ', ■ THE JUMPING COMPETITION. .

The most picturesque feature of the afternoon was reached when the whole of the officers—British and foreign—who are taking .part in the . jumping competitions, paraded before the King .. and Queen. Leiut.-Col. Gordon Wilson was first in the single file, and he was followed, but in no particular order by the representatives of France, "Belgium, Holland, Italy, Spain. Some curiosity was . expressed as to the single figure, in .hunting, 6carlet who made a brilliant spot of colour among the rather sombre undress uniforms: of the military. He was no less a personage than his Serene Highness Prince Herman de Saxe Weimar Duke of Saxony, who has entered his grey gelding Aristan in pretty nearly all the/jumping classes. As he has come to the show as a private gentleman, he cannot wear uniform, but he was induced to take part in the parade so thai Germany should not go unrepresented/ The jumping display by sixteen picked men. of the various armies was a very excellent performance, and there were only two .small mishaps. Lieutenant de Blommaert, of the l6t Belgian Guides, opened rather inauspiciously by falling oif his horse at the triple bars, which were all sent • flying. However he accomplished the feat at the second attempt, and did the rest of the course, which consisted of seven jumps and the mound, quite brilliantly. j. no mound did not provide the heavy crop of spills which it supplies when less accomplished horsemen are competing. One rider only came to grief here, Lieutenant. Picard, of the 2nd Belgian Lancers. Mascarielle, the mare he was riding, apparently thought she could go through the mound. without the trouble -of climbing, it, and in consequence deposited (he lieutenant on the top of it, on hisr back, while she stayed behind. Discovering her mistake she jumped up after him, and, being mounted, completed what but for this mistake would have been a perfect [.course.- ••'" " ■■■-."

Lieutenant Darfresne de, la Chevalerie, the handsome Belgian officer who j);S won so many prizes with "Mifis" made no mistake. Each of the English oificeis, Lieutenants R. B. Oldrey, M. Graham, and N. Reynolds carried something away, but their jumping was, on the whole, good. Lieutenant Brondehonx, the -single representative of France, rode magnifioantly, and the Duke of. Saxony, but for a slight mistake at the triple bans, would have equalled this record.

ITALIAN OFFICER'S. PERFECT DIS , ' PLAY.

Lieutenant C. H. Laubouchere of the Dutch Hussars, maintained the honour of Holland, but by common consent Lieutenant Bolla, of the Italian Cavalry^'give the'most perfect, display of horsemanship: His powerful bay mare took, every obstacle apparently without effort, and left the ring to the accompaniment of. a great burst of cheers. , . • '■'. ;

Both' of the Spanish officers took the gate with fhem,on' their rourias, but;this was their only mistake. Each of the riders taking part in the display was presented with a gold cigarette easVbv the directors in commemoration of the Royal Visit. ',■/•;

Afterwards, the ring was filled with seven four-in-haud teams to compete for the Hackney Gold Challenge Cup. It was won by Miss Ella S. Ross's blacks, and that lady who was on the box, had-the felicity of receiving this handsome trophy. ~ It was fully 5.30 when the Royal party left the building, haying expressed Lord Lonsdale their appreciation of the beauty of the hall and the excellence of the show. During' the afternoon the Shetland pony Laird of Ness, which Air. John Askhom, of Knightsbridge, has on show in the hall was taken up in the lift to the Royal box for the inspection of their Majesties. The little animal is only 35 inches in height, and five years old, and created; great interest among the Royal party.