RURAL SPORTS1 AND RACES, HEAD OF BAY.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 194, 28 May 1878, Page 2

RURAL SPORTS 1 AND RACES, HEAD OF BAY.

« Stewards.—Rural Sports : Messrs H. Piper, F. Williams, J. Barwick, S. Giles. Horse-races : Messrs Duxbury, S. Johnson, J. and J . Sunckell. The above meeting took place on Friday last, the Queen's Birthday.' A very good programme had been provided, and-the prizes were ' snfficiently liberal to cause considerable ■ competition. The attendance of spectators was not very numerous, but this was doubtless owing to the uncertain state of the weather, and the rain that had fallen prior to the day of the sports, rendering the roads bad for locomotion. The morning was fine, and throughout the day no rain fell, though in IKe afternoon the weather became very chilly, and a good many left earlier , 'than would otherwise have been the icuse. The following are the events, in. the order in which they were taken :— Boys' Hacb, under 16 years—lso. yards, Ist 20s ; 2nd ss, / For this rape four started. ~; Giles, 40 yards ... . ... 1' ! Barker,.scratch .... ...... 2 j : ; ■;■ Jollie, to yards 0 '"'"Jones, 10 yards... ... 0 Giles was never collared, and won 1 easily , .-,;*;A close race ensued between the other three, Barker eventually securing second place. A protest was lodged, against Barker, on the ground of his being over age. Men's Kaob —Half-mile. Ist 40s; .„ 2nd 10s. Sunckell ' ... 1 . ' Brough ... 2 Creevy ... 0 This race was a hollow affair, the general impression being that it was arranged between the competitors. The three ran together' for about; half the distance, when Greevy caved in, and the other two came on tolerably leisurely till within a.few yards- of the tape, when ■they put on; a spurt, and Sunckell touched ihe tape a shade in advance. Hack Hurdlb Race—Stakes, £7 10s. Heats. Over four flights of hurdles. For all horses that have never won a

hurdle race or steeplechase. Weight not under 11 stone.

J. Sunckell, jnn.'s eh f Isis, 11 st

J. Brown) ... R. Main's b ni Malvina, list, 2 lb (owner) ;..'" J. Macfarlane's bl g Black Doctor,'

11 at 2lb (Barker) ... I ... 0 Ist Heat—Malvina and Black Doctor both baulked at the two first hurdles. The chestnut had it all her own way, and came in hard held. Black Doctor second, and Malvina nowhere.

2nd Hea£—This was a better'race, but the filly again proved too many for her competitors, and scored an easy victory, Malvina second.

Boys' Race, under 12 years—loo yds. Ist 10s ; 2nd 2s 6d. ~..,,,,,,! H. .,.,,,,,£ui, r y, ...,... ... 1 ..... ■•■• ■■ . Pettigrew ... 2 t Baggs... : ' ... 0 ... . This yfas a capital race. Ten started, and every one meant winning, if possible. They kept close together all the way, finishing in the order named. Men's Running : High Jump— Ist 20s ; 2nd 55.. n .•■; ; P. Berland ... 1 : and T.'Brough tied for, second place. , ■ ■■.'"> : This event. was hotly contested, though' the jumping was not particularly-' good. ' The : winning jump was 4 ft. 6 in. Hack Rack—Stakes, £7 10s. Heats. For all horses that have never won si fiat race. .Weight not under 10 stl J. Brown's eh g Kaiapoi (owner) 11 J. Sunckell, jun.'s b g Bismarck (Hammond) , ... ... 2. 0 J. Maefarlane's bg Charlie (Barker) 0 2 Kaiapoi had it all his own way, and won the two heats easily. A protest, howeyer, was lodged against Kaiapoi, on the ground of his having already - won public money. Charlie and Bismarck then ran a final heat, to decide the race in the event of the protest being sustained. A good race ensued, but Charlie scored a victory. Boys' Running High Jump, under 16 years—lst 10s : 2nd ss. This event brought six competitors forward; The jumping was better than that of the men, 3 ft 9 in being cleared. The following is the result :-— Barwick ... 1 Le Comte ... 2 Old Men's Race, over 50 years, 200 yards—lst 20 ; 2nd ss. There was great fun over this race. Ten competitors came to the $cratch. The result was a dead heat between Munday and Smith, who agreed to divide the first and second money. Hurry Scurry—For a whip. Catch weights. Mr D. Libeau's Butterfly ... ... 1 The following also ran :• —Mr Vogan's Djck, Mr McCloy's Kate, Mr Saddler's Maori Girl, Mr M. Daly's Lurline, Mr Rennett's Te Kooti, and Mr A. -Prince 'Bismarck,, ,7 1 Married Women's Race, 100 yards'—--Ist 20s ; 2nd ss. Mrs Brough ■-;.. 1 Mrs Paget ... 2 There were seven entries for this race, and a capital struggle ensued, resulting as above. Some amusement was caused by an objection being made against the winners by some of the unsuccessful competitors, on the ground that they were not mothers, but as this had not been made a condition, the objection fell through. Perhiips on a future occasion the Stewards may take the hint, and handicap competitors according to number of family.

Single Women's Race, 100 yards— .Ist bride-cake. ■ .. ~ . Miss Pettigrew ... 1 Miss Brooks ' ... 2 • A capital'race, with five competitors. Miss Brooks ; ran well, though much smaller than her antagonist, and if the distance had been longer, would probably have taken first place. As it was, the entrance money was awarded to her as second,prize." " ! * " Girls' Race, under 12 years, 100 ' yards—lst 10s ; 2nd 2s 6d. ; Fanny Perham '... I■■ . Harriet Shadbolt... 2 Four ran. ■''"'"&

Hop, Step, and Jump—-Ist, 10s ; 2nd, 2s 6d. ■■••■:•■. ' '>■-„ Sullivan ■ ... 1;"' : '• Brougli ■• : ... - 2 ■,; Five competed' fo?- this prize", viz., Brough, Sullivan, Masbn, Bai-ker, and Biggs. -The contest;'however, lay entirely between the two -first, who finished in the order , named.' > Putting'THE 'Stone-—lst, ..10s ; 2nd, ".-■- Mv Kennedy , ... 1 .- • 'J. Kennedy ... 2 . For this event there were three entries. : The distance was about,3B ! feet. : By' the'time this competition was over, darkness had set in, and nearly every one had left the ground. . One or two events had to be omitted, among others a race for a handsome meerschaum pipe, which had been kindly presented by Mr Kissel. Mr J. D. Garwood also presented a superior box of paints to be run for by the youngsters. This was carried off by a son of Mr Piper. Shortly after the sports were over the stewards held a meeting, at which all the prizes for the Rural Sports were paid over. Those for the horse races were withheld owing to the absence of the stewards for the races, and in one case an investigation will be necessary, a protest having been lodged against Kaiapoi as already mentioned. Kaiapoi's owner also lodged a protest against the other two horses, on the ground that their entries were made after the time fixed for that purpose.

"We understand that sufficient money has been collected to leave a balance in hand towards some future occasion, after paying all prizes and expenses. Alto-

gether the promoters are to be congratulated on the success of the.affair, and we hope to see a similar gathering on, some holiday during the summer, whea **" doubtless the attendance of the public will be much larger, , .