CALEDONIAN SPORTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 36, 4 January 1946, Page 8

CALEDONIAN SPORTS

RECORD CROWD ATTENDS

VIVID SCENES AT OHOPE BEACH

BRIGHT HIGHLAND SECTIONS

Some throe thousand people attended the second annual Caledonian Sports and Highland 'Gathering held at Oh ope Beach la.st Tuesday (New Year's Day) under the auspices ol' "the -Whakatane Caledonian Society. The weather was perfect and the grounds with the natural' terracing of the surrounding hills made ideal setting for the sports which as one visiting Scot rcmar'ked might easily ■have been held in Bonny Scotland itself. This impression could be understood when one took a general view of the grounds with thousands of spectators in everj' shade of sum*mcr and beach-wear thronging the hillsides and surrounding the central oval. The event yielded the record gate of £197.

Once again the Society is to be congratulated on its progressive policy and the fact that all its vcn-» tures by way of increased prizemoney and the staging of championship events have been amply repaid by the increasing public interest. If the same policy is carried, out next year the sports will rank with the better known New Year events in the North Island. In the Athletic field there were some very close finishes. The flat events all attracted larger entries than last year while the Balmoral Cross Country race was once again

the highlight of the afternoon and was won after a gruelling contest by B. Mextecl. A pleasing feature was the growing interest in the ladies events. The sprints in both married and single ladies races were particulaiiy keen and close., The Society would do well to introduce more chopping events next year in view of the obvious interest in the exhibition contest given last Tuesday by visitors from the towns many of Avhom declared that, they had never seen axemens competitions before.

The Highland section had a busy day the boards being occupied from noon until 5.30 p.m. Tremendous interest was taken in the dancing this year, possibly due to the special South Auckland Championship awards which were first class events "in themselves. The Piping and Drumming also reached a fine standard. In the piping trio event i the players from both Hamilton and Whakatane received an ovation. Another highly popular event was the display by drumming teams from the three Pipe Bands present—-Hamilton Tailranga and Whakatane a feature which has never been seen in the Bay of Plenty before.

There was plenty of interest on the grounds a happy interlude occurring when Mr Phil Dixon lead his Gymnastic team on to the green, and he himself was, to be seen in his popular clowning stunts which vastly amused the crowd. The ladies of the Society were again to the fore in attending to the re-} freshment booths, and the ice cream stalls are to be complimented on their work and never-failing court- . esv.

To the Chief of the Society, Mr W. J- and his hard-working

-Secretary Mr Win, Hurst must go the great credit for the success of the sports. They are to be warmly congratulated on their work together with Messrs TeH. Fergusson (announcer) t C. F. Thomas (grounds steward) and a host of others who assisted, nojt forgoetting the Maori friends who so capably conducted the 'Hangi' on the grounds.

The results of the events were as. mailer: — ATHLETICS 30yds Flat ? boys under 0: R. Hurndell 1; D. Baker 2.

50yds Flat girls under G: J. Moore 1; E. Baker'2.

50yds Flat boys under 12: J. Mextec! 1, I. Mclntyre 2; G. Gilbert 3. 50yds Flat girls under 12: T. Rankin 1; B. Haslam 2; E. Ross 3.

50yds Flat boys under 14: M. Brown 1; D.'McLeay 2. 50yds Flat, girls under 14: J. Thiele 1: B. Haslam 2. 50yds Flat ? boys under 10: JD. Carling 1; V. Brown 2. 50yds Flat girls under 16: T. Grant 1; B. Mexted and M. Eivers2. 50yds Fiat boys open: D. Rankin 1; R. Dawson 2.

50yds Flat, girls, open: B. Mexr ted 1; M. Eivers 2. 100yds Flat s boys under 1G: R.

Dawson 1; D. Rankin 2. 100yds girls under 1G: C. Mexted 1;. T.'Grant 2. 100yds Flat boys open: R. son 1; D. Rankin 2.

100yds Flat, girls, open: C. Melted 1; P. Chadwick 2.

Relay Race, boys: Whakatane Junior Band team.

100yds Gents open: J. Baxter 1; R. Laurie 2; K. L. Hertily 3.

75yds Victory Handicap, ladies open: C. Mexted 1; P. Chadwick 2; T. Grant 3.

100yds Ngarimu Championship: D. Rankin 1; IVL Teipa 2; W. Manahi 3. Maori athletes only. 75yds Married Ladies: Mrs H. W. Sayers 1; Mrs Haua 2; Mrs J. Hay 3. 100yds Married Men's: R. A. Everest 1; L. Hurndell 2; L. Ducker 3. 75yds Ladies open: B. Mexted 1; C. Mexted 2; M. Sleep 3. Craigcllachie Championship, 100yds open: S. Parkinson 1; R. A. Everest 2; D. Dawson 3. Balmoral Cross Country: B. Mexted 1; R. Seeker 2; B. Skelton 3. Slow Cycle Race: R. B. McGivern. MISCELLANEOUS

Ladies' Nail Driving: Mrs Collins. "Weight Guessing: G. Lock 143% lbs 1;, J. C. Revcll 143%1bs 2; S. Windlebourne v li3V 2 lbs 3. Correct weight 11 libs/

Chain Stepping: J. H. Moody. Putting the Shot: B. McGougan. CHOPPING Underhand Chop: B. Hill 1; H. Webby 2; J. Bell 3. HIGHLAND SECTION PIPING AND DANCING RESULTS The. standard of piping and damping was excellent. The section was this' year easily the best seen in Whakatane and the piping in particular drew very favourable comment from the judge, Mr R. Haddow of Tauranga who stated that he was impressed with the number of young

pipers who completed in the orjen events. He praised also the initia,tive of the Society in instituting the Shield contest for the encouragement of junior piping generally. The drumming contest saw three bands in spectacular display and the winning team (Hamilton) won AvelLmerited applause. The Rose Bowl competition for the best piping trio from any one band was also annexed by Hamilton.

The dancing board was busily oc-> cupied all day the open competitions in all sections drawing a splendid type of competitor. The two South ' Auckland Championships (Highland Ming and Sailors Hornpipe) found the competition keener than ever and the greatest difficulty was experienced in determining the winners. The judge Mr D. McLen,-j nan of Whangarei commented very favourably upon the standard in the senior events, which he said would be hard to beat anywhere. The fine work of the one Maori competitor Heather Mctai, of Edgecumbe in the junior classes was also a feature of the exhibition.

In presenting the Craigcllachie Shield, which Avill be awarded annually to the best competing pipers under 21 years the Chief of the Society } Mr W. J. warmly

congratulated the winner Piper Gordon Smith of Pyes Pa, Tauranga, and wished him continued success. Details of the prize list were as under:— DANCING Highland Fling (under JI years): Heather Mctai 1; Mavis Smith 2. (Under 15 years): Heather Metai 1; Marion Gillanders 2. (Open): K. Walton I; L. Bellve 2. Local Fling: Heather Mctai 1; Marion Gillanders 2.

South Auckland Championship: Lorna Bellve 1; Joyce Miller 2; K. Walton 3. , ■••-■

Seamy Trubhais (under 11 years): Heather Metai 1; Mavis Smith 2. (Under 15): Peggy Smith 1. (Open): J. Miller 1; K. Walton 2. Sword Danee (under 11): Heather Metai 1; Mavis Smith 2. (Under 15): Peggy Smith 1. (Open): , Lorna Bellve 1; J. Miller 2.

Sudors Hornpipe (under 11): Mavis Smith 1; Heather Metai 2. (Under 15): Mavis Smith 1; Peggy Smith 2. (Open): Joyce Smith 1; K. Wal* ton 2.

South Auckland Championship : Joyce Miller 1; K. Walton 2; L. Bellve 3. Irish Jig (under 11): Mavis Smith 1; Heather Metai 2. (Under 15): Peggy Smith 1; Mavis Smith 2. (Open): J. Miller 1; K. Walton 2. PIPING EVENTS Craigellachie Shield and Medals:

Gordon Smith (Tauranga) 1; Russell Hurst (Whakatane) 2; Donald McKenzie (Whakatane) 3. i Patterson Rose Bowl (best trio): Hamilton (Pipers A. Sperry P. Martin and C. Hadley) 1;, AVhakatane (Pipers E. Petty D. McKenzie and R. Hurst) 2.

March under 14 years: R. Hurst

1. Mareli under 18 years: D. McKenzie 1; Gordon Smith 2. March, open: A. Sperry 1; Miss T. Fergusson (Auckland) 2. Strathespey and Reel, xinder 14 years: Russell Hurst 1. Strathespey and.' Reel under 18 years: Gordon Smith 1; D. McKenzie 2. Strathespey and ReeF open: A. Sperry 1; R. Smith 2. * Bay of Plenty Pipers , (novice) March under 16 years: Gordon Smith 1; Mac Brown 2. Strathespey and Reel under 1(5 years: Don McKenzie 1: R. Hurst 2.

DRUMMING EVENTS Display by minimum of 5 drummers from any one Band: Hamilton 1; Tauranga 2; Whakatane 3. Solo Drumming: R. Percy (Hamilton) 1; L. Cameron (Tauranga) 2; A. McAUum (Hamilton) 3.