HUNTING.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13891, 30 April 1909, Page 6

HUNTING.

~AT otipua. The meet yesterday was at Otipua at iue LLLYiuaijioii or jlr John \S iaieU, tUe first time hounds 'have met at utipua since 1894. 'i'ivo very good runs brougnt back to memory some good hunts over the same country when Mr (ieorge Russell used to own the property and, as hounds hunted very well all day, the sport of the afternoon was •particularly enjoyable. The weather was perfect and the scent good and the going good, though at times on the heavy side. The hunting was confined almost entirely to the Otipua estate,' Mr J. S. Hay's being the only other country crossed. After a fairly long draw a hare was viewed away who made straight for a plantation immediately handy but hounds quickly pushed her out of it and drove her up the hill on to Bristol's road. After a quarter of a mile along the road the field had to jump back '.n to the Otipua property and after a fast two mile run over stiff country had to be content to see a beaten hare evade the pack in a plantation. On returning to the flat adjoining Mr Hay's property another hare was found but soon lost in a plantation. On making another draw the music of the pack was the signal that they were on the line of a fresh hare who skirted the plantation bordering Bristol's road and left Otipua for Mr J. S. Hay's farm. To live with hounds two wire fences had to.be tackled before facing Mr Hay's boundary fence which took a deal of jumping. These three fences thinned the field down to Craigmore, Ironbark, Liberty, Modesty (all kennel horses), Rosemorn and Regret. These horses, apart from those ridden by the huntsman and whip, were the only ones that followed hounds all through the run. When on Mr Hay's farm the line was to the left, then to the right and to the right again, taking the field over a barbed wire fence, then timber and another barbed wire, fence. Following the line again to the right over a big gorse fence with a high barbed wire in it and then over the boundary fence, again the field found themselves once more on Otipua. But with no sense of relief as far as being able to nurse their mounts was concerned, because previous experience had taught them that although Mr Hay's country was stiff enough to try the mettle of a good hunter, the Otipua fences were if anything more difficult to negotiate. But to return to the run. Safely over another gorse fence, for the first time the hare was viewed, and she was obviously a dirty liaro. far spent. A glorious burst of music from the pack went to show that the liold were not the only ones to view hr-r. Bustling her back through the last o-orse fence jumped gave' her a short respite, but when once the pack sen.v.nbled through the fence they were :.ot long before they bowled their qnaw over in the open. It was a trying mn on heavy going over stiff country, but the chief pleasure was in watching hounds hunting the line accurately and at a great pace, except for a short

check when they-liad to puzzle out a difficulty put in their way by a nock of sheep crossing the line. The kill was a grand finish to a good day's sport. On returning to the homestead the field were most hospitably entertained by Mrs Withell, and the welcome cup of tea was much appreciated. Before leaving for home hearty cheers were given for Mr and Mrs Withell at the call of the Master, who in expressing the thanks of members of the - hunt for their welcome and day s sport, alluded with pleasure- to the interest shown by the host in sport in &outh Canterbury. Mr Withell kindly expressed the hope that the hounds would be met at Otipua again next year, and that more would be present, and tnat it was his intention . (a very sporting one) to put sheep netting round the plantations in order- to increase the chance of sport. Amongst those riding two little- girls made their debiit in the hunting field, Miss Elworthy aged six and Miss V. Jackson aged nine, both of them fearless riders. Those present' at the hunt were Mrs A. S. Elworthy 011 Cannie,, Miss. R. Elworthy on Kowhai, Miss N. .Wright on Imp, Miss N. Howell on'-Pat, Miss Talbot on Simon, Miss Rhodes on Puzzler, Miss Anstey on Bob, Miss M. Brosnahan on Dad, Miss V. Jackson on Maori Jack, the Master (Mr A. S. Ehvorthy) on Craigmore, the Huntsman (M. Orton) on Kauri, the Whip (G. Fielding) on Matthew, Messrs H. Elworthy on Ironbark, P. Elworthy on Liberty, J. Withell on Defender, E. M. Hurdley 'on Rosemorn, D. G. Bett on Modesty, A. E. Kerr on Commander, F. Kerr on. Sunflower, A. Trilford on Pareora, W. Kernohan on Salute.;. D. G. Edgar on Yim, G. W. Wostropp on Grosvenor, R. J. Black on Regret, H. Barker on Scenery, B. Gooding on Teddy, H. Brosnahan on Paradise, P. Campbell on Toby, W. Campbell on Kitty, C. Shaw on Bob. W. Shaw oh Stay, A. East on Santoi, E._ Butchers on Cleo, G. Jackson on Lyddite, A. Jackson on Peggy, J. Kent on Ginger, J. Gilclirist on Snookey, and C. E. Thomas on Brownhill.