POINT-TO-POINT.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 14 June 1926, Page 7

POINT-TO-POINT.

STEEPLECHASE MEETING. I CRAIG-MORE CHALLENGE CUP TO g SOUTH CANTERBURY HUNT. 9 In weather which was anything but I seasonable, but which was, nevertheless, I quite good for a sporting meeting, tliu | annual point-to-point steeplechases of I the South Canterbury Hunt were got | off on Saturday afternoon. A nor’- 1 west wind prevailed, and though it was I against the horses for part of the I journey, it ensured good going. 1 ’file location of tho meeting was 1 Levels, find the numerous gathering of | spectators, representative of both § North and South Canterbury, bore evi- I deuce of the popular nature of the E fixture. Air V. H. Orbell placed out- « buildings at 'tho Levels homestead at J, the disposal of the Hunt, and these were R used as weighing-out and dressing N .sheds. Tho spectators assembled on a | high ridge a little north of tho Levels K homestead, and from their vantage I point they could see the wholo of the 1 course, which extended over 31 miles § oil the fiat country in front of them. I The course was, as usual, well flagged S off, and while not being too stiff, com- 1 prised good, average hunting country. 1 Starting in a slight depression just a 1 little north of the Levels stables, mid- | way between the weighiug-out place | and tho ridge on which the spectators 1 wero standing, tho lino taken, after 5 the first fence had been negotiated, was due north, parallel with the Point road, for half a mile, through Mr Winton’s property, across a bye-road into Air Fitzgerald’s farm, across another bye-road out of Air Fitzgerald’s farm and on to the property of Air Burns, then across tho LevelsArowhcnua road into Air Kelman’s, next across a bye-road leading towards Scadown and into a- paddock belonging to the Timaru Properly Company, next into one of Air J. P. D. Aloe’s paddocks, thence sharp to the right g round a bhiegum plantation and into E the late Air Glass’s farm, then in a i north-westerly direction back on to Air g Burns’s farm, across the' Levels- g Arowhcnua road into Air Aloe’s prop- g erty, on to tlio main Point road and I back on to the Levels estate, finishing i with an up-hill run in a broad depres- | sion at the foot of the hill on which fi the onlookers were assembled. In the g course of the journey 32 jumps had to j§ be taken, including three water jumps g and ono or two of wire and timber, i the balance being gorso. There were " one or two sharp turns -in tho course, 1 and tho last jump, a gorse fence had to n be taken up-hill, this being within a | few hundred yards of the finishing | post. A departure, with much to 5 recommend it, was made this year, in | that while the light weights wero sent |

round the course one. way, tho heavyweights were sent round the same course in the opposite way, so that a rider in the first race would not have the advantage of familiarity with the course when he rode in the second race. There was keen competition for the Craigtnore challenge cup, which is awarded on points gained by teams of three horses qualified with any Hunt affiliated to the New Zealand _ Hunts’ Association. Brnekcnfield, AYaimalc, and South Canterbury Hunts competed, and the coveted cup was-won by South Canterbury. It happened, unfortunately, that this year’s meeting was not without mishap. In the light-weight event, Aliss Grafton, owned and ridden by Air F. J. Black, of Fail-view, fell at a gorso and wire fence on the homeward journey, and had to be destroyed. In the same race, Air A. S. Elworthy’s Flourish, ridden by W. Hicks, fell at the last fence. His rider suffered a broken collarbone, and the horse, which was unable to rise for some minutes, appeared to be a good deal shaken. The South Canterbury Hunt was well represented in the fields, a goodlv contingent coming from Fnirlio end of the district. Waimate’s representation was less numerous than usual, and the Christchurch Hunt nominees did not put in an appearance, but the Brackenfield Hunt sent clown two worthy representatives in the sisters Skilful and Peaceful, who credited Air M. Bothell with a first and second. The meeting was held under the direction .of tho South Canterbury Hunt Committee. Air A. S. Elworthy was starter; Air F. F. Neale, clerk of course; Alessrs W. J. Bassett and AL Maze attended to the weighing-out; Air C. E. Hassnll was judge, and Ah; H. 11. Fraser, as secretary, exercised a general supervision, and saw that evervthing was as it should be. Alessrs W. M. Orbell, J. Alaze, and A. S. Elworthy selected the course, and earned congratulations for their work, it being generally agreed that the c-oursc was a very good one. At the conclusion of the races the trophies were given out by Airs Leslie Orbell (wife of the Master of the I-lunt), tlio winners being warmly complimented and cheered. Cheers were also given for Airs Orbell, the donors of trophies, and for the fanners who had lent their country to be raced over. Tho following are results : —• LIGHT- WEIGHT.

JJi.VrxJ. L- Y» muij. • For a trophy, valuo £5 5s (presented by Mr L. Mathias), and a challenge cup, value ten guineas (presented by Mr P. A. Elworthy, to be retained for the ensuing year only) for first hor.se; trophv valuo two guineas, presented by Mr \V. Raymond, for second; trophy value one guinea, presented by Mr AY. 1-L. Oibell, for third. Distance, about 3* miles. Air AI. Bothell's b m Skilful, _ngcd, Alasterpiece —Spiteful, 11.7 (A. Fergusson) ••• ••• 1 Air J. E. D. Roberts’s b g Sassafras, aged, 11.0 (A. Bourn) ... 2 Air J. Al. Shaw’s b g Nyanza, aged, 11.7 (J. Dunnill) ... ... ••• 5 Mr N. A. Rattray’s g g Grey Star, aged, 11.7 (owner) 4

Others to face the starter were:— Mrs H H. Brosnahan’s Jim, 11./, Air \ S Elworthv’s Flourish 11.7, Mr F. J. Black’s Alias Grafton 11.0, Air J. O'Connnr's Falloosc 11.0, and Mr E. J. Vavasour’s Bye and Bye 11.7. The liokl was despatched to a good start, and when the horses had fairly settled to their work it was seen that the black gelding from 1< airlio, Bye ana Bve was in command, with flourish, Skilful, and Sassafras following in that order at short intervals. Going round . . • -i rtf +l,O ennl’qn

the semi-circular part of the course furthest away from the spectators there were several changes, Bye and Bye and Skilful alternately leading. mien the bluegum plantation at the lower end of the course had been rounded, the order was: Byo and Bye, Sassafras. Skilful, Flourish, Grey Star aim Nvanztv. At the eastern end of the course Aliss Grafton fell and was unable to rise again. Racing ton aids home. Skilful ran up into first place, but shortly after, the Holme Station representative commenced t0 .,. 1T ’^9, f and ran into the load, \wth Skilful following closely at lus heels, and Bye and Bye next. Two jumps from hop c when the three were toirot-hci, B-c and Bye ran nil’. Flourish was first to tho last fence, but slio faded-to lise, and came down, leaving Skilful to o on and win •by two or three lengths from Sassafras, who came «ith a fast run, while Nyanza ran i' l * o^} lll V ’ Grey Star was fourth, and Bye and Bye fifth. also completed tho course. heavy-avetgi-its. For a trophy valuo five guineas (presented by Air A. S. Elworthy) and a challenge cup value ten guineas vP I G stfntedV Mr P..A. Elworthy, to bo retained for ensuing year only), ioi first horse; a trophy value two guineas, presented by Air Edgar Jones. j ol ' second; a trophy value ono guinea, pie-

seiited'by Air W. N. C. Bond, for third. Distance, about 3J miles. Air W. E. Black’s b g Goodform, aged, Nauiiform—Peeress, 13.0 (owner) ... , ••• 1 All- AL Bothell's b m Peaceful, aged, 13.0 (A. Fergusson) 2 Air It. A. Balfour’s c h Conductor, aged, 13.7 (T. Hobbs) ... ... 3 Air W. Sugrue’s b g Alustang, 6 years, 12.7 (M. O’Connor) ... . 4 Also started —Commander W. Steward’s b g Alist, 12.7. Peaceful and Conductor were the first to show out, and the field settled down to a much steadier pace than was tho case in the light-weights. At the end of a mile, 1 Peaceful, fencing well, was still showing the way. Shortly after this, Alustang took the lead, and Goodform ran into third place. The next change saw Peaceful again assume the lead, with Goodform second and Alustang third. So they raced for nearly a mile, and up to tho last fence, and a great finish between Peaceful and Goodform resulted in a victory for tho latter by half a dozen lengths; then, about 200 yards further back, came Conductor and Alustang, tho latter, who had fallen at tho last fence, being beaten by Conductor for third placce by a length. FARMERS’ STEEPLECHASE; about 2\ miles: 11.7 Air W. M. Black’s ch g Goldlock, G years (A. Bourn) 1 Mr J. Old field’s ch m Ginger, aged, (owner) 2 Air R. T. Morris’s b g Davey, aged, (owner) ... 3 All- 11. Al. Sullivan’s ch g Sheik, aged (J. Alahoney) ... 4 Also started —Air Edgar Jones s ch g Rangi, All- Al. F. Burns’s Rod Dawn, and Air G. Nicliolls’s Pareora. In i this event the contestants had a milo ] loss to cover than those in tho two : previous races, a portion of the northern part of tlio original course being | cut oil’. In tho early stages of the , roco the Tekapo horse Goldlock showed j

the way until about half the distance j had been covered, when ho haulked at j a big gurso fence, thereby losing over j a hundred yards. Then Rangi wont to the front, with Davey, Ginger, and Gokllock next in order. Rangi ran oft at tho last jump. Ginger flattened a gate in tho second last fence, and Goldlock punched out a top rail, but neither fell. In the run home Gokllock beat Ginger for first place by a- length, with .Davey close up, third. Sheik finished fourth.

CRATGAIORE CHALLENGE CIJP Mr H. Elworthy gave a challenge cup, to ho competed for by teams of three horses qualified with and owned by members of any one Hunt affiliated to the New Zealand Hunts’ Association doriii"' the 1920 season. Each horse had to be ridden by a member of the j Hunt or Hunt servant. Jhe cup to co to the Hunt obtaining most points, j This was won by the South Canterbury Hunt, tho points being as follows: — _ , , South Canterbury Hunt, 23 points. Braekenfield Hunt, 11 points. AVaimatc Hunt, 7 points.