Wanganui Hunt Club.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11969, 11 June 1903, Page 2

Wanganui Hunt Club.

BY "REYNARD." What is considered about the most popular in'eet on this coast is that at Mr. Kennedy' s^ Moniohaki. Fully 150 turned out on the thind, and were greeted by a lovely day, though the scent was bad, but all had a splendid afternoon's sport, wibli plenty of jumping over various gorse, wine and timber fences. Mrs. and Misses. Kennedy had prepared a nnost excellent "hunt" breakfast, which was done full justice to by the large number of ladies and gentlemen who partook of it. Then off to the fields for the throw off. We had only ono "kill," but all were .satisfied with the magnificent fencing country. Quite a number took up their horses from Wanganui, and were loud in their praise of the lavish hospitality of their host and hostesses. Amongst the visitors were Deputy-master E. Symes on Kupara, 0. Symes on a roan, M. Beam on a bay, H. Nicholson on a grey (these two latter are likely future 'chasers), the huntsman on Sinbad, Elliot on Tally-ho, Campion on Circus Boy, S. Morton on The Clown1, Noake on a black. McNeill on Leighton, Grower on a bay, G. F. Moore on Folly, J. Blain on a> big brown, Sheehan on a browm, Mis 90. Crawtey on Cinders, D. Wilkie on a chestnut, L. Wilkie on a bay, Woods on Sbiinguardi, E. Brownlie on Teddy, J. Brownlie on Prospector, Miss Campbell pn Trafalgar, Weberley on a cob,, D. Nicholson on a chestnut, L. Peake on a brown, and Sutherland. Amongst the many drivers were Mesdames Brewer, Peat, Symes, .Sutherland, and! Misses Brewer, Hearn, Kennedy, Clery, Willis, Slattery. Mathieson, Dickie, Symes, and others I did! not know the names of. Fine hunting weather, with a keen air, welcomed the meet at that popular hunting resort, Mr. Alex. Higgie's Blink Bonny last Saturday. • A large and fashionable crowd turned out, making the road, en route, present quite a gay appearance. Fully a hundred" riders and drivers gathered at the rendezvous during the afternoon, and later, when tea and refreshment® had been partaken of, hospitably provided by Mrs. and the Misses Higgle, they grouped on the lawn of the lovely home of outthosb for a photograph. The effect was very pretty, with gentlemen in hunting costume: dotted here and tihere amongst the ladies in their beautiful winter attire. The first run started from the town side of this •state, crossing'the rood, double into Mr. T. Bomber's, recrossing further east into soft going stubble, then over; the road again into the home paddocks, finishing near the stables. The next run! took an interesting form1 of entertainment in the way of a paper chase, over some fine mixed jumping country, and though the goih:? was rather 'heavy, a fair pace was set up, the horses fencing splendidly, resulting m Mr. Adrian Higgie securing thei "kill"— a Jjpttle of champagne. All then wended their way to the JiousS""fqr (tea, etc., after which Mr. Nixon, the Club's president, in a happy speech, thanked oufl host and hostesses for their hospitality, referring «o Mr. Higgie's connection with hunt clubs of previous years, when he was a keen follower of the "sport of kings'." Three times three were then given ml a hearty manner, land all started homewards, after having had a splendid! afternoon's sport. Amongst. the riders I noticed! were the Deputy-master on Auctioneer, the huntsman on Lord Raglani, James Higgie on a bay Adrian Higgie on a bay (a fine Leaper); A. Higgie on Snapshot, Speed on Boomr de-oy, J. Biownlie on Prospector, E. Brownlie on a Wlack,* Elliot on Tally-ho, Miss Campbell on Trafalgar, McNeill on Leighton, P. Harrison on a grey, Outfield on Raniana, Phfillipa on "a black, H. Cameron on an Australian gelding, Campion on Circus Boy, D. Blair on B'ianco, Captain East on Tyser, Lockett on a big bay, Bruce on a cob, L., Wilkie on a brown, S .Morton on The Clown', Irvinp on a, Catesby gelding Sutherland! on a Phantom gelding, and Mias Nixon. Driving, were Mesdames Holdship, Sommerville, Kitchen, Nixon (2), Fairfax Ohomeley, Higgie, Johnsoo, Cullinane, Poriitt, Sutherland, the Misses Warmiington, Rawson, Duncan, Baker, Newcombe, (2), Willis, Jones, Hair, Duigaiu, Blackmore, Higgie. Pickering, Morecroft (2), Gibbs, Anderson, SommerviUfi (2), Knapp, Messrs. Nixon, Hatrick, Wilson, Cohen, Gibbons, D. Wilkie, J. Blair, Cullisape^ Faber., Creaswell. I should like to see the gentlemen mem>bers of the Hunt Club turn out in their smartest attire—a uniform one, and not in varied coloured "breeches, with gaiters or leggings-. . , Another thing of note is that a number *of gentlemen attend! the meets who are, I believe, not members, but might easily become so by applying-to the hon. treaaurea«, Mr. J. H. Nixon, as the club is not too well off fojEjfunds, and I can assure them they will be assisting in liaising the standard of a better breed of horse-r-oue that requires bone, substance, and stamina, and not weedy sprint racers, now, 1 am soi'ry to say, becoming too numerous on this coast. The next meet takes place next &}aturday at Mr. J. Blair's Rapanui, where a varied ■lot of fences and dry gojng obtains. A good afternoon's sport is always found.