HUNTING.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18403, 9 June 1925, Page 12

HUNTING.

CHRISTCHUPCH HOUNDS. (Contributed.) The meet 'fixed for Saturday last was ftt "Camla," Dunsaridel, the residence of tho Master, Mr Derek Westenra. This d,ay is always looked forward to by everyone, as ■without' doubt it i 8 one of the best day's hunting in the season, and' never a year passss without a good run being obtained nt the ■ "Carola" meet. As soon as one enters the front , gates it is easy to sen thft-t a lover of horses "resides within": at the end of the long drive nice warm stables, getting all the ?un, with numerous exercise yards and plenty of shelter, are tp be seen. On entering the saddle-room a sight meets the eyis that few hunting men can equal, as . all around ,the high walls, from ceiling- to floor, are show-ring tickets and champion ribbons won by those gocd horses Awatere, Major, Katerfe.to, Broadwood, Surprise, and jnany others, who 'have carried the Master and his wife. After a warm welcome from our host and hfcstess, we moved off to draw a paddock adjoining- the Selwyn riverbed, and immediately hounds had„a hare afoot. The going was heavy after the recent rain and treacherous, as under the shady sid e of fences it was either white with fro3t or very greasy, with the result that horses were clipping right into their fencis. Two short runs were obtained around the homestead before a njove was made across the DurisandelHororata road into Mr Brown's'property. Trying a field at the back of the house, a hare was viewed-away almost at once, and hounds, being quickly laid on worked around two paddocks of crop before they opened to the line. However, tho hare dodged and doubled about until, being hard pushed, mada away m a southerly direction towards the wattle plantation. A tricky double pulled the "field" up for a. minute or two, but on reaching Hunter's road hounds were running right-handed, with that good hound Bluccliffs in the lead. Skirting a paddock of turnips and then out on to a grass rpad, the hare took us in a large circle before she was finally killed on Mr Kane's farm. After breaking her up, bounds were agam tried in Mr Brown's paddocks, and soon h§4 another hare on the move: making away iacrpss two grass paddocks the hare kindly skirted a large paddock of freshly-drilled wheat and crossed a road into Mr Scott's, where she turned righthanded and mado the pack do their utmost to stick to tho line in a paddock of thick thistles. On jumping into ploughed ground, we turned sharp to the right over several stiff fences, and then towards Mr Ruit'a homestead. Crossing a paddock of green feed, hounds ran d°wn the gorae fence, but on reaching "grass" checked. Selby cast back, but couldn't get hounds to hit off the line, and so ended a very pretty run. One or two empty saddles tyeve noticed during this run, fortunately without any damage, except tp Mr Buckenham v who received a nasty shaking through his mount taking a top wire away. Another hare, found in a paddock belonging to Mr Duncan Gillanders, enabled lounds to show some very pretty hunting across several fields, but luck was "agin 'em" and fresk. hare 3 getting up they were denied their quarry. &B-it was getting late and everybody had had enough hunting, we returned to "Camla," where Mrs Westenra had a, beautiful tea awaiting us. Those riding were:—Mrs Westenra on Ardent, Mrs Jack Gri?g en Warfare, Mrs Gilbert Grigg on Morning, tha Master on Xerxes, Huntsman on Sandal and Monowai, Deputy-Master on Patch and Bill, and Messrs Duncan Gillanders on Surprise, A. Ward-Smith on Misty Morn, Walker on Whisper. G. H. Grigg on Grimace, Dawsbn on Towy, J. Woodhouse- cjf Royal Kam, Buckenham on a brown qualifying, Chatterton on Rodeo, and several others, whilst motoring were Mr and Mrs .Norman Brown, and ■ Mrs Selby and party, and abcut a dozen boys on foot.