ORIGIN OF WILD GOOSE CHASE
The etymology of steeplechase is too obvious to need sot explanation. Founders of the sport merely fixed upon a distant steeple and rode straight to it, crossing gallantly hedge, ditch, paling, turf or timber, pasture, crops, moorland or ridge and furrow —whose riding straightest came in first and was winner. But there are few, indeed, to whom a wild goose chase bears any implication of sport, yet the phrase derives from a sport hazardous, indeed. It is said to have begun in Ireland, where a chosen leader took mounted men across country, but chose always the roughest, wildest going to be found. If mischance befell the leader some other took up the office —occasionally there was a change of leaders if the first proved timorous. For danger real and thrilling was the spice of the wild goose chase. The winner was not he who came home first, but he who had funked nothing in the route, even possibly have gone further around to negotiate an extra hazard.
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Bibliographic details
Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18430, 14 March 1922, Page 9
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172ORIGIN OF WILD GOOSE CHASE Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18430, 14 March 1922, Page 9
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