THE AHAURA CHRISTMAS SPORTS.

Grey River Argus, Issue 153, 5 January 1867, Page 2

THE AHAURA CHRISTMAS SPORTS.

(from oub, invir cokuesp'ondent.)' The Christmas holidays have of course put an end, for a time, to all digging operations, as well as every thing else savoring of work or business, except such as. may be necessary for the, i>romotion of what appears to be the great end of life at this festive season— amusement. Accordingly the usually' quiet, not to say ' dull, aspect of our little township has for a week given way 1 to soriiething more resembling, in a microscopic way, that of iNewmarket or, Dpncasier. on the eve of 'their great anniversaries. The line of way between the two rows of houses, which, ,by a stretch of' courtesy, .bears the name :.of;street, and- which has hither to served i rather as a receptacle for broken bottles land every description of rubbish, has been .levelled, and converted, by the labors of ! the Sports Committee, into a very passjab'le species of hippodrome, on which, instead of toiling strings of pack-horses ploughing througli a sea of mud with their multifarious burthens, the youth of the district; have been disporting themselves in a variety of athletic competitions, to fie 'gr.ji.t development of their muscular vigor, and, as a natural corrollary, the consumption of manifold potations—the, witnessing as well, as the practice of anything'in 'the; 'sporting line, seeming to bo alike provocative of an intense and un- | quenchable thirst. A considerable number I of visitors,; from even distant .localities, j was drawn to the spot on: Boxing Day by .the fineness of the weather and the, attractions held forth in the programme issued by the committee.;, and. the sides of the I arena might be said to be almost crowded by a joyous throng of excited spectators, both on foot, and on horseback, who seemed to take : a ;keen interest iiijthe pro-;, gress of, the games, to : judge by the shouts of laughter; and;.of pleasure with which they ; . hailed , .--the •'.-' success or , failure of the competitors Notwithstanding thia, the ■'.'■ 1 ■' • '■. ■ .■ . -•■■ ''.-"' ■ i

•whole passed off with astonishing unani- 1? mity^and good hum,or, and the task of the I yerj,; limited police force, in securing the % preservation of good order was almost a £ sinecure. As most of the athletes engaged- " in this amicable contest are pretty well known in a our community, some of your readers may. be, interested.in learning the ■ names of the victors. The prizes wer^t"- 4 -adjudged as follows ;-4-Fpr; wrestlingi-J^ $ Cumberland style, L 5, L 2, and Ll— CU^B >'i I roll, Brown, and Jones; Three hundred^ ' yards flat race, L 3 aud Ll— Hughes and Carroll. Hurdle race, L 3 and Ll-— Hughes and Carroll. Running high leap, L 3 andLl— Furness and Hughee Standing high leap, L 3 and Ll— Carroll and Hughes. The highest leap surmounted was four feet five inches. Putting the heavy and light stones were both gained by the same men. . Vaulting witli the pole, L 3 and Ll— Carroll and Furness. Three standing leaps, L 3 and Ll— Carroll and Furness. Running hop. step, and leap, L 3 and Ll— Coady and Carroll. The sack race, which caused much amusement, was first gained by an individual who, on arriving at the post, was found to have his feet protruding through the bottom of the sack, and he being tints' disqualified, it was run over again, when Messrs Carroll and Hughes came in respectively first and second Quoit match, L 3 and Ll— Chairman and Armstrong. In the tilting match for prizes of L 7 10s and L 2 10s, ten rings out {of eighteen were taken oft" by Carroll, and five by Stenhouse. who were consequently proclaimed the winners, but a very creditable display of horsemanship was made by several other aspirants in this cliivalrous and amusing exercise. A foot rage was got up among the business men .-of the place, which was well contested, although some of the runners were manifestly Unfitted by nature and habits for such violent exertions, and was gained by Mr Winsor, ■The -first part of the programme being duly executed we are far from falling back into our wonted quietude, being now all •agog for 'the races to borne off on New Year's Pay ancVfollowing day. They will be held on a capital mile and a-half course, prepared on aii extensive flat, included within Mr Pike's 'station, about four milea from the township, a spot as favorable for the purpose as could possibly be selected* being an. elevated plain of perfectly;level I turf, commanding a beautifiU view iipj and down the Grey a]id Ahaura rivers and svuTounding country to a great distance. Here every necessary preparation has been made, a number of refreshment .and other booths are erected, ancl should the weather hold good two famous day's sports are expected. There are eight events on the list, for which upwards of LIOO Will be* given, and from the eagerness 'and enthusiasm displayed by the: owners of horses in the district, amongst which are some very Hue animals, a close and exciting contest may be confidently looked for, but the entries having.to.be made on the ground it is useless to speculate beforehand on the probable result.