WESTLAND R.C EASTER MEETING.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 April 1920, Page 4

WESTLAND R.C EASTER MEETING.

HOKITIKA 'R EVISITED

(By “Old Timer” in the “Weekly

Press.”)

The Easter Mooting of the Westland Racing Club took place on Thursday last, and in spite of the Meeting having to ho postponed from the previous day on account of the weather, the fixture was a very satisfactory one.

| It was in 1873 that the first Meeting of the Westland Racing Club took j place on the present well-appointed 1 course, and it is about forty-two years since the writer attended a Meeting there, so perhaps a few reminiscences may not be out of place. Many { changes have taken place since then, not only in the surroundings of the course, but also in the conduct of raco j meetings, the imposition of the crowd, | and the manner of providing sport and ! entertainment. I have a. vivid recollecI tion of the first Meeting, when the course was almost in its primitive state. The heavy timber that had covered it lay where the axemen had felled it, only those portions of the j giants of the forest and the underscrub i being topped that were likely to obstruct the spectator’s view of the horses as they plodded their way over the newly formed clay course. The area cleared for the accommodation of spectators was limited, perhaps less than an acre, which meant that the fifteen hundred or so of people who attended were mixed up in a - democratic manner | truly characteristic of a. mining township in the early days of the Const. The scene presented, in most respects resembled that to be witnessed on any colonial racecourse of the early days of racing. Here was the. gentleman with the raucous voice, inviting all and sundry to patronise him, as he was pfepared to lay even money on the U or tho 0 or 3 to 1 on the 7, for shillings, half-crowns or pounds, doubling on tho 7 barred. Further on was tho individual with the persuasive voice proclaiming that his game consisted of a j box containing marbles of various' colours. The “fairness” of Iris game was apparent to the close observer in the different sizes of the marbles, and the ease in which the outlet of the box could he manipulated by the operator. A small but interested group surrounding a man and a gin case denoted the throe-card trickster at his lucrative business, while a few yards away the owner of the table on which marbles raced was doing good business in selling to tho by-stnnders tickets of the marbles that were light in weight, while his “buttonors” received the tickets for those marbles that were heavy. Result:. “buttonors” won every time. The “Grown and Anchor” table, so easily manipulated by the owners, and many other games of doubtful fairness wore provided for the purpose of extracting the coins from the well-filled pockets of those present. Those who did not holievo in games o'f “chance” had plenty of scope for indulging in those of dexterity. There was Aunt Sally with a pipe in her month, and a smile on her face that was enough to cause tho most accurate thrower to miss. Near by the innocent looking duck in a hole defied the most dexterous thrower to hit her, while the sound of falling pins on the wooden platform proclaimed the fact that the old English game of skittles was being indulged in. When it is recollected that the area of cleared space for the crowd was about one acre in extent, perhaps the scene presented can be better imagined than described. To the majority the races were mere incidents in the day’s outing. There were few, if any, bookmakers, and no totalisator, those wishing to gamble on the events having to content themselves with sweeps. Sport started early, and ended late, and when it is mentioned that there were only five events on the card for the first day’s racing, there was ample time between races for one to indulge in the class of game favoured most. Usually the day’s sport wound up with an event for Maori-owned and trained horses (Native riders), in heats, and if daylight permitted, the last heat had to he run at least twice the judge being either unwilling or unable to separate the competitors. What we lacked in quality we certainly gained in quantity. I shall not attempt to draw comparisons between the racing of then and now, for it would bo difficult to convince admirers of Lacenfeed, Izaak Walton, Tommy Dodd, or Guy Fawkes of years ago that their superiors exist now, or that the training methods of Billy Kraft, (“Old Identity”), Walters, Blythe, or Dicky Richardson were equalled hv Mason, Cutts, O’Donnell, and others of to-day. Nor should I like to say that- tho horsemanship of Hawj kins, French, Mclvor, Barton, Derrett, Wattie and others was superior to that of Gray, Deeley, the Youngs, and the host of other prominent jockeys of the present time, hut content myself with saying that to those of us of the early days of racing tho names mentioned were those of heroes of the Turf. Of those associated with the Westland Racing Club of those days none remain. Here is the list of officials that controlled, the Meeting of 1873:—President, Hon James A. Bonar; officials, G. G. Fitzgerald, H. Mace, W. G. Johnston, W. Ramsay, W. H. Burton, H. Tj. Robinson, D. Cullen, W. C. J. Kortegast, T. K. Christian. Of the owners of horses that took part in this Meeting, the only two that are with us to-day are Messrs Webb and Cassidy, the last-named gentleman, I fancy, being about the oldest owner in the Dominion still owning and racing. Of the trainers and jockeys of those days very few remain, but Bob Derrett is happily still with us, now a successful trainer.

How different tilings are to-day. Here are two racing tracks, one for galloping and one for tlic light harness sport, that would do credit to a club of Far larger pretensions than the Westland Club. The former is well turfed, will, no difficult turns, and when dry should ho fast, tho track for the trotting being a well-faced one of clay. I understand it is intended to lay down another for training purposes, and when tin’s is done, tho arrangements will he very complete. Tho appointments of the ‘course for the convenience and pleasure of the public are thoroughly „p to date. There are three commodious stands, one inside and one outside, while the third, Tor the stewards, is not only commodious hut bo well arranged

that all the details necessary for the

good government of a present-day race meeting can bo carried out efficiently. The accommodation for both galloping and trotting horses is ample, each class having a paddock and set of sheds. There are nice lawns to both stands, ornamented with flower beds, etc., and taken altogether, the course and appointments are very good indeed. The club is certainly fortunate in possessing a body of officials, not only keen sportsmen, but who have a good knowledge of how to cater for the pleasure of their patrons, and the writer after spending an exceedingly pleasant day in witnessing good sport in the midst of up-to-date surroundings and a circle of friends of the early seventies, came away with tlie full determination that forty-threo years would not again intervene before his next visit to the Westland Racing Club’s convincing ground. '