WAIKATO HUNT CLUB.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3161, 27 September 1892, Page 2

WAIKATO HUNT CLUB.

Thkiik was a very large attendance at the meet ol Mr H. Bullock-Webster's hound.-, at Cambridge, on Thursday last, nearly 200 people being present d'.iring the afternoon. Although the weather was very threatening, Inavy rain falling just before the start, it cleared tip beautifully afterwards, ami enabled everyone to thoroughly enjoy themselves. Prominent among the straight-riding division w.) noticed the Master (Mr H. I'ullock-Wobster) on Blue Peter, Mossrs W. M. Douglas on l'awa, \V. Thornton on Jangler. R. Rathborne on Master, E. Cussen on Commissioner, M. H. Pickering, on an Anteros, E. B. Cox on Laverock, S. Lawson, on Peter, W. T. Carr on Neek-or-Xothing, J. Turnbull on .Justice, A. Bach on a brown, W. Park on Muscatelle, W, Windsor on Mistake, H. Wyatt on a bay, T. Weatherill, on Fisherboy, W. Kay on Ariel, C. Lake on Pirate, J. Corboy on Opawa, A Cassidy on Leda, F. Ariner on Presto, W. Scott on an Ingotnar, C. Weal on a C*p-a-pio, J. Dalgleish on ail Ariel gelding, J. Macfarlane on a bay, A. Gane on 'Dainty, It. Speake on a brown, C. Shaw on Waverley, T. Wise on Sceptress and others. After ample justice had been done to an excellent hunting breakfast provided by Host Bich, of the National Hotel to the order of Mr \V. Thornton, in which a large number of guests participated, the party proceeded to a paddock belonging to Mr G. E. Clark, near the Hautapu school-house, where a drag was started by Messrs R. Ilannon and H. Weal. After crossing the main road, the hounds proceeded in a line through the properties of Messrs Morgan, Forrest, | Brown and McCullagh, thenc? through several domain paddocks, near Cambridge, in and out of Mr W, K. Carter's paddock, near the English church, thence through a paddock opposite Mr Carter's stables, mid finishing up opposite, the National Hotel. This drag, which was the biggest ever run, in Waikato, being over four miles in length and had some thirty or forty stiff jumps to bo negotiated, was exceptionally fast for the state of the ground, which was very heavy after the recent rains. The master having picked four couples of the fastest hounds out of the pack,was enabled to keep the followers going from start to finish with scarcely a break. Very fe.v succeeded in getting round without gome mishap or other, and the field was perceptibly diminished towards the finish, and some halfdozen only succeeded in being in at the " death." The numerous spectators were enabled to have a full view of the proceeding from the road, and needless to say they thoroughly enjoyed the antics of some of the ridel's, as they scrambled out of the ditches after each other, no less than three old spin ts being in a ditch mixed up with their horses at one time. The after procession wa>, to say the least, somewhat ludicrous as they were seen inarching across a paddock in single file in search of their steeds, minus hats, and covered with mud. Spills were unusually numerous during the afternoon, but fortunately none were of a very serious nature. There is one thing we are sorry to have to allude to, and that was one or two cases of over-riding the hounds which occurred during the run. There, has been a total absence of this reprehensible practice of late, and it is unfortunate it should have occurred again so near the end of the season. At the finish the members adjourned to the National Hotel, wdiere an hour was spent in conviviality. Several toasts were proposed, and suitably responded to. After thanking Mr W. Thornton for his hospitality in entertaining the members during the day, the party broke up, everyone returning to their homes thoroughly well pleased with their outing. A word of praiso is due to Messrs R. Hannon and H. Weal for the manner in which they performed their duties in laying the drag. The hounds will meet at Bruntwood, on Thursday next, when the wind up meet of the season will be held, and it is anticipated that there will boa very large number. Mr Douglas will entertain the party in his usual hospitable manner, and a hunt club dinner will be held in the National Hotel, Cambridge, in the evening.

The hounds met at the cross-nads, Tamahare, yesterday, but owing to the wrqtched state of the weather, very few horsemen vontarfed out. The properties of Messrs \V. M. Douglas and R, Cowley were tried, and several short runs obtained. The hounds managed to run a hare to earth in a plantation belonging to Mr Douglas, and a kill resulted. The rain now poured down in torrents, and it was deemed advisable to put an end to the day's proceeding in consequence, as the dogs were unable to keep on the scent.