SPORTING FIGURES

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20888, 21 August 1939, Page 12

SPORTING FIGURES

MR R. H. SKIPWITH A VARIED TURF CAREER STARTED RACES IN GERMANY Few racing officials today can claim Ihe unique record of Mr R. H. Skipwith. a familiar figure on the starter's stand on many leading Auckland courses. Owner, trainer, clerk of scales, handicapper, judge, stipendiary steward and starter over the past decade, there are few branches of the sport with which he is not familiar. On arriving in the Dominion in 1893 it was the intention of Mr Skipwith to take up a farming career, but a mining boom temporarily dispelled original plans and he immediately interested himself in share speculation. Easy money was to be made and one could buy up shares in a syndicate one day and sell them on a ready market the following at much enhanced value. It was about this time that Mr Skipwith became a member of the Pakuranga Hunt Club and subsequently imbued with the idea of winning a Hunt Cup he purchased a gelding by Ingomar, called Sepoy. The young immigrant’s venture into racing in New Zealand, however, was not a success for the fickle Sepoy proved of little account and soon went amiss. Pony races were extremely popular in those early days of racing in the Dominion and undeterred by his earlier setback Mr Skipwith acquired a diminutive .daughter of Derringer, named Valencia, and later the aged ’chaser Othallo. In 1896 the pair was sent across to Sydney in charge of the late H. Linnell, a brother of the wellknown English artist. Othallo, a good honest “plug," but of no great class, won over fences both at Randwick and Rosehlll. Purchase In Australia Prior to his return to the Dominion Mr Skipwith acquired a “Galloway" pony, a term used for a pony standing not more than 13 hands. Actually this latest addition to the stable, who went by the pseudonym Frank, stuod 13.2 i hands, but had been trained to shrink on being put under Hie measuring bar and by this simple expedient was able to qualify for pony company. That same year Mr Skipwith purchased from the late Mr Roulston, of Pukekohe, for £3OO, an untried three-year-old gelding by St. L< ger from the sportsman’s good mare Winnie, iliis happy acquisition, St. Simon, later proving one of the finest performers over hurdles yet seen in this country. St. Simon made his debut over obstacles at Ellerslie in 1897 and the occasion provides material for one of Mr Skipwith’s many amusing anecdotes of his early association with the turf. In those days horses racing in the same interests in a race were not “inconveniently" bracketed as is the case today and considering that Frank was the better proposition of the two Mr Skipwith plunged to the extent of £3O on his Australian purchase and entirely neglected St. Simon. The despised St. Simon won in a canter and paid £lB 15s. But worse was to follow. The following day, with St. Simon rehandicapped 121 b and the race a quarter of a mile shorter, a careful survey of the respective merits of the stable mates influenced Mr Skipwith to invest £3O on Frank, whom he considered could well turn the tables on this occasion. Frank fell and this time St. Simon paid £23 13s. “it was then said,” the luckless owner recalls, “that I was one of the cleverest young fellows that had come into the game." St. Simon went on to further success and the 12.12 he was awarded in the Great Northern Hurdles was a reflection of his ability. The horse had been given little preparation for 4 gruelling race like the Northern and unfortunately it was not until after Mr Skipwith had backed him substantially that he was acquainted of this fact. In Role of Trainer Mr Skipwith then took over the management of his own team and experienced a measure of success with Ladybird, a half-sister by Carbineer to St. Simon, from whom he bred Melwood, who won among other races, the Thompson Handicap ajid ran second in the New Zealand Cup. Induced to take up a professional trainer’s license, Mr Skipwith moved to Poverty Bay but finding no worthwhile opening there he soon shifted to Greenmeadows. Evening Wonder proved the best of the talent that went through his hands there but the inducement of professional training fell below expectations and lie handed in his license. Journalism was Mr Skipwith’s next sphere of activity and lie was in turn Racing Editor of the Auckland Star and Christchurch Press and Referee. Following a trip to England where he had the opportunity of inspecting such famous courses as Epsom, Ascot, Newmarket, Doncaster and Lincoln, he was appointed to the staff of the Wellington Evening Post. While in Wellington Mr Skipwith acted as clerk of scales at Trentham. Then the Great War intervened and it was following the cessation of hostilities that Mr Skipwith was called upon to act as starter, at the Divisional meeting held at Kalk, Germany, when he dispatched fields of army mules. He recalls that they were some of the best dispatches he has eve? made. It was about this time that the late Dr. Paget and other Taranaki sportsmen were keenly interesting themselves in the appointment of stipendiary stewards and on his return to the Dominion Mr Skipwith had the distinction of being the first to officiate in this capacity. On relinquishing that position he acted as judge and handicapper at several meetings and then devoted all his energies to starting, an important sphere of racing that he has tilled with credit to himself and clubs throughout the Auckland province ever since.