CANTERBURY COURSING CLUB.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1694, 25 July 1879, Page 3

CANTERBURY COURSING CLUB.

PRESIDENT’S MEETING. Tha concluding meeting of the coursing season commenced yesterday. On this occasion, from a variety of causes, the committee decided to shift the place of meeting, a resolve which was attended with the happiest results. The venue was a farm belonging to Mr Thomas Atkinson, about four miles from the township of Sheffield, and sportsmen and dogs reached it by the 7.20 train from Christchurch. The day was beautifully fine, the only drawback being a strong nor-westerly wind that blew during the greater part of the day, occasionally lulling, moderating as it advanced. The conrsing took place over five paddocks, averaging from 100 to 300 acres, which afforded grand scope for a trial of the speed of the dogs, the more especially as there was scarcely any cover for the hares to escape to. It is not too much to say that some of the finest dogs that ever ran in New Zealand were collected together yesterday, and the long and exciting courses that were run was a convincing proof, if one were needed, that a circumscribed area like Hagley Park affords no opportunity of testing the real merits of dogs as to stay and speed, to say nothing of tbe scarcity of hares. The committee will do well to go further afield than the North and South Parka for the future, as independent of Sheffield, tin re are other localities, Courtenay for example, equally eligible, where first-class sport can be obtained at a reasonable distance from town. There was, in addition to the visitors from Christchurch, a fair sprinkling of spectators from the surrounding district, and one most enjoyable feature of the meeting was the absence of ro vdiness and crowding forward on to the beaters, that hitherto have unpleasantly distinguished the meetings in Hagley Pork. Hares were tolerably plentiful, and remarkably strong, indeed, far more so than at Camara, and the consequence was some grand sport. As before, Mr Lloyd acted as judge, Mr W. G. Walker as flag steward, and Mr C. W. Turner as slipper, he having acted in the same capacity at the Waterloo meeting at Oamaru. Mr H V. Anson resumed his old post as heater, and Messrs Judge, Porter, Brown, and the other members of the committee assisted him in his duties. The first pair of dogs slipped were Hack and Crackshot. Crackshot went dead lame from the slips, being quite disabled, and never was in the hunt. Hock led the whole of the way, and won, taking nearly every point, and killing, (-hang next encountered Sandy. Prom a peculiar slip over a ditch, the red bitch showed to the front, but in a very short time the white dog got possession, and scarcely allowed his opponent to scare again; this course which lasted several minutes and ended in a kill, was in marked contest to those we have lately been having in Hagley Park, and clearly shows how unfair it is to judge a course on the first quick work. Tlr s course aione was worth the journey up. Reflection aul Gyp were tha next t> try conclusions. Gyp led off from the slips, doing all the work at first, but Reflection gave him the gobye, and after working the hare very cleverly, came in an easy winner with another kill. Queen Bee and Bumble Bee came next, running a tremendous give and take course. The dogs were unsighted at the slip, but got on to another hare very quickly, and a fine contest ensued, resulted in a victory for Queen Bee. Spring and Gill Gill ran a good course, Mr Roper’s bitch being tha Both dogs were at first unsighted, but fpring was the first to sight the hare and got to work. Throughout the course, which was a long one, the black dog showed the most foot, and although rather wide in his work, was able to wiu the course with one or two points to spare. This was also a kill.

The next course between Tam O’Sbantcr and Bribery was a long give and taka one, the bitch leading to the hare, but Tam O’Sbauter quickly got in and did all the work, terminating with another kill.

Juliet and John ran an undecided, tho odds at first being in favor of Juliet, and then John got in and took two and a go by to the fence, the hare escaping being the first that had got away. The course between Blue Bell and Maggie was won by the former, who, although unsighted from tho slip,_ when she once got in, had no d ; fficulty in disposing of her opponent. Middlesex and Gazelle were slipped to a cross hare, which, although it favored the dog, did not enable him to do anything worth mentioning against Mr Snrnam’a well-known bitch. She gained a go-by on tbe outer circle, and after two or threo turns tho hare escaped. The undecided course between John and Juliet was the next event This was a very flaky course, Juliet showing most foot at the first, but John soon got in and quickly scored more points than the bitch was able to wipe out. Kathleen ran against Mr Roper’s Honeymoon, and, contrary to expectation, had an easy win, as Honeymoon worked very wide. Kathleen from tha start had it all her own way, only allowing the favorite to get in once. The next event was between Balmoral, an imported English dog, and winner of tho New Zealand Waterloo Cup. recently run at Oamaru, and Mr Eoper’s Haddington, lately imported from Sydney, and by tho noted Barmby, half brother of Balchristie and Cautango. Balmoral led up by about six lengths, turned to Haddington, then gave Haddington the go-by and turned again, He repeated this performance to tho finish, repeatedly turning and giving go-byes, eventually killing and winning the course. This was tho more surprising as great th nga were expected from Mr Koper’s dog, his condition being perfect, and ho ran up in the Bathurst Derby to Lolex, who has since then won the Australian Waterloo Cup.

An undecided course was then run by Loo and Sweep. Tho last course of the first round was run by Young "Ridley and Camellia. Hares were so plentiful that, when the dogs were slipped, there was every likelihood of their taking different directions, but they fortunately got on to tho same hare, and after both fencing :n good style they had a fairly long course, in which tho bitch got the bsstof it. The following was tho result of the fir.t round:

Messrs Miles and Lintott’s f w d Hoot, by Bacchanal —Bnxom Lass, beat Messrs Roper and Jerome’s r d Cracksbot. Mr E. B. Deacon’s (ns) w f d Chang, by Mark Twain —Sweetlips,; beat Mr Beard’s f b Sandy, by Bed Rover—Rose. Mr W. Cannon’s bo w b Reflection, by Balehristie—Glare, beat Mr Snmam’s bd w b Gyp, by Hindoo —Gipsy. Mr Surnam’s bit w b Queen Bee, by Balohristio—Glare, beat Mr H. S. Smith’s bk w d Bumble Bee, by Westlake—Miss Lennie. Mr Fraser’s bk w d Spring, by Streak o’ Light—Hawkeye, boat Messrs Roper and Jerome’s f b Gill Gill, by Marathon—Glacier. Messrs Miles and Lintott’s r d Tam o’ Sbanter, by Clydesdale—Cremorne, beat Mr Chatteris’ f b Bribery, by Scan Mag—Bnbina. Mr Caverhill’s r w b Juliet, by B dchristie — Glare, and Mr Kirkwood’s bd d John, by Scan Mag—Rubina, ran an undecided course. Mr A, Dnnoan’a bo w b Bluebell, by Bed

Bover —Moonbeam, beat Mr Bull’s w bk b Maggie, by Jngnrtha—Jenny Lind. Mr Kirkwood’s bd d John, by Scan Mag— Rubina, beat Mr Caverbill’s r wb Juliet, by Balchristie— Glare.

Mr Surnam’u f w b Gazelle, by Magnano Playful, beat Mr G. Bull’s f d Middlesex, by Scan Mag—Bnbina. Mr Judge’s f wb Papanui, by Prince —Butterfly, beat Mr D. Thomas’ f b Lancashire Witch, by Blucher —Sunbeam. Mr Ronayno’a bo w b Kathleen, by Geelong Comet —Queen Death, beat Messrs Roper and Jerome’s bk r b Honeymoon, by Tumult Margery Daw. _ , , , Mr B. Thomson’s (ns) bk w d Balmoral, by Riot Act—Maidstone, beat Messrs Roper and Jerome’s r w d Haddington, by Barmby • Mr D. O’Brien’s w bd d Leo, by Cacique II Qatenby’s Fly, ran an undecided course with Mr H. McConnell’s r d Sweep, by Scan MagRed Bose. _ , _ , _ Mr Ronayne’s f wb Camellia, by Red KailDauntless, beat Mr B. P. Hill’s bk w d Young Eidley, by Regent—Ridley’s Daughter. The first ties will be c immeuced to-day on the same ground. As far as an opinion can be expressed from the performance of yesterday, the victory will probably lie between Hock, Balmoral, and Bluebell, the second for choice.