MEN WE MEET

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 939, 5 March 1908, Page 7

MEN WE MEET

One of the first men we meet when visiting Ellerslie to assist at any meeting there is Mr. Arthur Selby. Everybody knows the lengthy spare form clad in the most immaculate hunting toggery, the long Dundreary whiskers, new, alas! getting all too white, the ruddy complexion, and the kindly blue eyes. And on seeing him it is impossible to avoid the thought, “ Here’s one of the old school, the typical fox hunter of our father’s day.” It was at Seven Oaks, in the hop county of Kent, that Arthur first saw the light just sixty-three years ago. A love of hunting was ingrained, and as quite a kiddy he used to turn out

and follow the beagles on foot. Later on he saw some exciting runs with the Surrey staghounds, a pack the writer has often seen at work. Then for some years Mr. Selby hunted regularly, mostly with the Mid-Kent Stag Hounds and West Kent Fox Hounds. Twenty-three years ago he left the Old Country for New Zealand, but it was not until 1893 that Selby

NO. 5. MR. ARTHUR SELBY.

came to Auckland, where he has resided ever s’nee. With the Pakuranga Hunt Club in full swing, he promptly joined that institution, and has been closely identified with it ever since, having held the position of huntsman for fourteen years. In fact, the hounds without the Selbys (a son, Mr. C. Selby, is the whip) would he like Hamlet without the ghost, only much more so. Hunting has been Selby’s hobby all his life, and if he lives to a century he will'. still be found on the back of something that can jump. He has had some good animals under him from time to time, the best, perhaps, being the Opawa horse Defamer, who lived to a great age, and Nor’-west, one of the most popular animals that ever carried silk in Auckland. Although Nor'-west was considered dene when Mr. Selby purchased him. yet, in addition to hunting him, a few good races were picked up by the aged son of Sou’-wester and Betty. Among these were the Onehunga Steeplechase, in which the old fellow came home in front of Swimmer and Hinemoa. His sudden death after winning another jumping event at Ellerslie in which he had been cheered to the echo is fresh in everybody’s mind. As Mr. Selby stood beside his dead favourite, if ever a man looked sorry, he did then. Somehow that one-time favourite hunting song, “ The Place Where the Old Horse Died.” fluttered through one’s memory, for here, as in the song, a game horse had gone to his death rather than know defeat. Mr. Selby has judged at numerous agricultural shows and ridden in many events. It is quite a treat to see the veteran taking a big fence sitting his horse like some Centaur of old. Many of our younger amateur horsemen might well take Selby as a pattern when going across country. Straight as the crow flies, with never an inch of daylight between himself and the saddle, Selby still shows us that the old brigade know how to ride. Fond of aF outdoor sports, Selby has a penchant for cricket, and is, indeed, a very fair bat, a free hitter, and generally good for runs even now. As a fearless, straight goer and a thorough good sportsman, Selby will always be esteemed by those who know him.