HONOUR TO WINOOKA

Hokitika Guardian, 22 July 1933, Page 8

HONOUR TO WINOOKA

RECEPTION IN AMERICA

NEWSPAPER'S TRIBUTES

SAN FRANCISCO. June 27

If Winooka were a man instead of a horse lie would have been overcome at the reception given him when the liner Monterey brought him to California. Large, crowds were down -at tlie dock. The pews papers published fulsome articles, adequately illustrated. The tragic death of Phar Lap had aroused public -interest fn the star performers , from “down under,” and tli-bre wets universal regret that suspicion was directed toward the loss of that great performer!. The Californians who follow sports are loyal to the spirit that dominates the best in the different games, and when the news of Phar Lap’s demise eyas flashed everywhere last year there was the same great Ices in the United States that there was in New Zealand ami Australia, The San Francisco Examiner of June 20 introduced the newcomer as follows: “Winooka, in case you. don’t know, is. the fastest sprinter in- Australia, and he arrived .yesterday morning. His blistering brand of speed has smoked the racing strips, ‘down under’., and now lie i,s here for an invasion of the United States.” • Each member of the Winooka staff was named, <and • tlie racer’s experiences on ■ the ocean liner' were described in detail: His size, record, tempor.manent, and tin.*' possibility of defeating the horses f the United States have, given innumerable scribes a chance to fill columns of space. Even the sand on tile deck wp»s mentioned, and it proved lucky for newspaper readers that an ..enterprising reporter did not attornp- to count the grains. The Federal officials did not take the least chance with ‘Winooka. They refilled to permit the landing of To sacks of wheat bran because of the presence of flag smut, a gran disease not known in the United States. Two score bales of Australian bay were, landed under the approval of the Quarantine Department, when examination failed to reveal any blight. The con .sequence, is that tlie horse will have to accustom himself to American feed,'and it is to he hoped that the bill of fare will prove.satisfactory.