CHRISTCHURCH POLO CLUB’S ANNUAL SPORTS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 300, 23 April 1896, Page 9

CHRISTCHURCH POLO CLUB’S ANNUAL SPORTS.

Saturday, 11th April.

Weather fine, but very cold; however, about 700 people attended at Riccarton to watch the fun. Results :— Bending Competition, for trophy. First heat: Mr R. H. Rhodes’ br g Jack o’ Lantern, owner, 1; Mr A. E. G-. Rhodes’ b g Dumb Crambo, owner, 2. Mr Gould’s br m Belle (owner) and Mr A. Clarke’s br m Diana (owner) also started. Second heat: Mr A. G. White’s g m Trilby, owner, 1. Mr A. Clarke’s cr m Sweet Lavender (owner) also started. Final heat: Mr R. H. Rhodes’ br g Jack o’ Lantern, owner, 1 ; Mr A. E. G-. Rhodes’ b g Dumb Crambo, owner, 2. Mr A. T. White’s g m Trilby (owner) also started. Won easily, a neck between second and third. Polo Ball Race, for trophy. First heat: Mr G-. Gould’s b m Belle, Mr E. D. O’Rorke, 1; Mr A. Clarke’s br m Diana, •wner, 2; Mr B. C. Lane’s b m Dinah, owner, 3. Mr J. Dampier-Crossley’s ch g Kumara (owner) and the Hon. E. W. Parker’s b m Wanghee (owner) also started. Second heat: Mr R. H. Rhodes’ b m Shekel, owner, 1 ; Mr A. Clarke’s cr m Sweet Lavender, owner, 2. Mr H. G. Gray’s blk g The Nipper (owner) and Mr A. E. G. Rhodes’ rn g Buster (owner) also started. Final heat: Mi’ G. Gould’s br m Belle, Mr E. D. O’Rorke, 1; Mr A. Clarke’s cr m Sweet Lavender, Mr Archer, 2. Mr A. Clarke’s br m Diana (owner) and Mr R. H. Rhode’s b m Shekel (owner) also started. Won easily by six lengths, half a length between second and third. Polo Cup Handicap, for Cup presented by Mr W Gerard. Minimum weight, list. Four furlongs. Mr G. A. M. Buckley’s ch g Skipper, 14.0, Mr F. Claridge ... ... ... ... 1 Mr B. I. Lane’s ch m Tai Tapu, 11.7, owner 2 Mr A. Clarke’s br m Pearl, 12.1, owner ... 3 Also started—Mr A. E. G. Rhodes’ b m Frib, 13.7, owner ; Mr R. H. Rhodes’ ch m Stella, 12.1, Mr F. Lance; Mr G. Gould’s b m Bramble, 11.9, Mr E. D. O’Rorke ; Mr E. M. Turrell’s ch m Rattan, 11.0, Mr H. Gray. Betting—2 to 1 agst Skipper, 3 to 1 Stella and Pearl, 6 to 1 Tai Tapu, 10 to 1 Bramble.

Won by a length and a half, half a length between second and third.

Handicap Hurdle Race, for Cup presented by Messrs B. Petersen and Co. Minimum weight, list. Six furlongs. Mr A. E. G. Rhodes’ b m Frib, 12.2, Mr E.

D. O’Rorke ... ... ... ... ... 1 Mr A; T. White’s blk g Darkie, 10.0, Mr H. Gray ... ... ... ... ... ... 2 Won in a canter by several lengths. Stiffuns’ Stakes, for trophy. Three furlongs. Mr A. Clarke’s blk m Pearl, 12.7, owner ... 1 Mr A. E. G. Rhodes’ b g Dumb Crambo, 12.7 (carried 13.7), owner ... ... ... 2 Mt R. H. Rhodes’ ch m Stella, 12.7, Mr F.

Lance... ... ... ... ... ... 3 Also started—Mr A. Clarke’s blk m Whirlwind, 12.7, Mr F. Claridge; Mr F. A. Archer’s b g Alister, 12.7, owner; Mr B. L. Lane’s b m Dinah, 12.7, owner; Mr R. H. Rhodes’ b m Shekel, 12.7, Mr E. D. O’Rorke; Mr J. D. Crossley’s ch g Kumara, 10.7, Mr Gray. Won by. two lengths, a length between second jtnd third.

Tandem Race, for trophy. Leader to come in front of ridden pony to win. About three furlongs. Mr B. Lane’s b m Dinah and ch m Tai Tapu, owner... ... ... ... ... ... 1 Mr R. H. Rhodes’ br g Jack-o’-Lantern and b m Shekel, owner ... ... ... 2 Also started—Mr G. Gould’s br m Bramble and br m Bell, owner. Dinah and Tai Tapu won by five lengths. Ladies’ Bracelet, for bracelet presented by Mr Rhodes. First heat: Mrs A. E. G. Rhodes’ b m Frib, Mr A. E. G. Rhodes, 1; Mrs E. W. Parker’s b m Wanghee, Hon. E. W. Parker, 2. Miss White’s g m Trilby (Mr A. T. White) and Mrs A. Clark’s br m Diana (Mr Clark) also started. Won by a length and a half. Second heat: Mrs R. H. Rhodes’ ch m Stella, Mr R. H. Rhodes, 1; Mrs R. H. Rhodes’ b m Shekel, Mr E. D. O’Rorke, 2. Also started —Miss Maitland’s b g The Nipper, Mr W. Gray; Mrs F. A. Archer’s b g Alister, Mr Archer; Mr A. E. G. Rhodes’ rn g Buster, Mr A. E. G. Rhodes. Won by two lengths. Final heat: Mrs R. H. Rhodes’ ch m Stella, Mr R. H. Rhodes, 1 ; Mrs A. E. G. Rhodes’ b m Frib, Mr A. E. G. Rhodes, 2. Also started —Mrs E. W. Parker’s b tn Wanghee, Hon. E. W. Parker; Mrs R. H. Rhodes’ b m Shekel, Mr E. D. O’Rorke. Won by two lengths. Costume Race, for trophy. For all ponies that have taken part in the races of the day, except the winners of the Cup, Hurdles, and Stiffens’ Stakes. Mr A. E. G. Rhodes’ b g Dumb Crambo,

owner... ... ... ... ■• ■ •• • 1 Mr B. L. Lane’s b m Dinah, owner ... ... 2 Mr E. M. Turrell’s ch m Rattan, owner ... 3 Also started —Mr G. Gould’s b m Bramble, owner; Mr R. H Rhodes’ ch m Stella, Mr A. Clarke; Mr R. H. Rhodes’ b m Shekel, Mr E. D. O’Rorke. Won easily.

Three pictures, interesting to polo players, will be found in our issue this Week. One picture is of the members of the Auckland Polo Club, and the other two pictures are of Nimble and General Mite, winners at the polo sports on Saturday last. Our local polo enthusiast, Mr E. D. O’Rorke, won the Polo Ball Race on Mr G. Gould’s br m Belle at the Christchurch sports, and the Hurdle Race on Mr A. E. G. Rhodes’ Frib, but we would have been pleased to have seen him at Epsom last Saturday, when his mare Nimble won the Auckland Polo Cup. The daughter of Howitzer was in great nick, for which a word of praise is due to her trusty trainer, Joe Brown. The Kihikihi and Auckland Polo Clubs had rather a rough time of it when deciding their annual polo match. Recent rain had made the ground at Epsom very slippery, and in consequence the ponies had the utmost difficulty in keeping their feet. The day itself was somewhat forbidding, and showers fell during the play, but there was a very fail’ attendance of the public, including His Excellency the Governor, Major Elliot, and a party from Government House. The teams were composed as follows : —Kihikihi: Messrs Kay, Lawson, Wetherall, and Corboy. Auckland : Messrs Bloomfield, Wynyard, Gordon, and Tonks. Colonel Shepherd and Dr Sharman acted as umpires, and Mr Lawry as timekeeper. After a lot of loose play, owing to the state of the ground, the game resulted in a win for Auckland by six goals to one. During the game Mr Gordon’s pony slipped, and he got rather a nasty shaking, and Mr Wetherall got a blow on the arm somehow, that for some time was very painful.