Huntly Sports.

Huntly Press and District Gazette, Volume 3, Issue 6, 3 April 1914, Page 2

Huntly Sports.

As was anticipated, the sports proved a huge success, and reflected the utmost credit on all concerned. The morning broke fine, though a heavy thunder shower, by coming on at an unfortunate time, prevented many, who had fully intended to be present, from reaching the field. .Under the superintendence of Mr J. Clout a fine course had been prepared, marked out, and and fenced, with the result that the track was kept clear, and the convenience of the spectators secured. The fields being large, the various events were keenly contested, and the close finishes proved how admirably the handicappers, Messrs T. Briton and. J. Clout, had gauged the merits of the competitors. Owing, perhaps, to diffidence, there was some difficulty in making up the post entry events, but, all things considered, the committee should feel proud of the result of some weeks of hard and constant work. The time was well kept, the various officials being animated by the sole ambition of making the sports the best held in the mining town — an ambition that, judging by the comments of the spectators and of the competitors, was fully realised. The presence of the btaes band, and the music of the pipers were important factors, while the attractions of the numerous side shows proved a means of passing the tew intervals in an enjoyable way. The secretary, Mr S. Dixon, did yeoman service ; the starter was as efficient as starters can possible be; the judges were thoroughly fair and decided impartially ; while the various subcommittees by performing their special duties carefully and well, did all they could to secure the success achieved. So successful a start forms a special omen

for future triumphs. Appended are the results : Maiden Handicap of 100 yds : First Heat. Jack Pai (7ds.) 1 A. O. Peck ham (9yds) 2 O. Baker (7yds) 3 Time —lO 4-ss. Won easily by about 2 yards. Second Heat. W. H. Evans (10yds) 1 J. Gardner (Byds) 2 A close finish, Gardner gaining rapidly on his opponent. Time —llsees. Final. Jack Pai 1 A. G. Peckliam 2 G. E. Baker 3 Won by less than a yard, the second and third being separated by inches. Time —10 2-ssecs. Boys Sixteen and under. A. Farrell y 1 B. Evans 2 R. Muir 3 Bandsman’s Race of 100 yards. H. Wood 1 W e ta 2 J. C. Slee 3 Wood, the scratch man, had the race in hand from the start.

Sheffield Handicap of 120yds. First Heat. Jack Pai (13 yds) * 1 R. Isles (6 yds) 2 A. Hutt (10 yds) 3 Pai just managed to struggle home. Time —12 l-ssecs. Second Heat. H. Peckliam (12 yds) 1 A. Bilkey (8 yds) 2 G. Davidson (9 yards) 3 Very close win in favour of Peckliam. Time —12 secs. Third Heat. G. E. Cook (5 yards) 1 H. C. Burns, W. Ryan, 12yds 3 Cook soon passed his men, and won without exertion. Time — 12secs. Final. G. E. Cook 1 H. Peckham 2 A. Bilkey 3 Inches separated the three placed men. Time —11 4-ssees. Bagpipe Competition. Pipe Major MacDonald 1 Piper Dixon 2 Piper Haddow 3 Half Mile Handicap. M. Harrison 1 W. Welsh 2 E. La Frentz 3 Though won by inches, the -stewards and public appeared dissatisfied. Time —2 mins. 4 secs. Highland Fling (men.) Pipe-Major Macdonald 1 Piper R. W. Haddow 2 Piper A. Dixon 3 Highland Fling (Juveniles.) A. Cameron 1 N. Finny 2 Sack Race of 100 yards. S. Berryman 1 C. Gall 2 W. Mclnally 3

Berryman, who kept his feet all through, had the. decided advantage at the finish. Egg and Spaod Race. W. Mclnally 1 T. Mills 2 Married Ladies’ Race. Mrs Hilland 1 Mrs Patton 2 i Mrs Higgins 3 A good finish. < Open Handicap of 220 yards. First Heat. 11. Burns, 3yds. 1 V. Cornaga, scratch 2 E. Hall, 20yds. 3 A good race with a close finish. * rime—23 1-5 secs. Second Heat. V. Hogg, 10yds 1 ( H. Peckham, 17yds 2 t A. Rodgers, 13yds 3 1 Vnother exciting finish. Time — f 53 3-5 secs. ]

Final. V. A. Rogers and V. Hogg. Dead heat. C. H. Burn 3 Carnaga seemed to have the race in hand, but at the bend his leg gave way. and he lost ground. Rogers and Hogg breasting the tape simultaneously. Time--23 1-5 secs. On tli3 run off the result was V. Hogg 1 V. A. Rogers 2 The winner practically finished by himself. ** Unmarried Ladies' Race, 75yds. Miss McGlynn 1 Miss Bouger 2 Miss Peckham 3 Surface Hands’ and Truckers Race, 100yds. A. G. Peckham 1 B. Peckham 2 E. A. Jones 3 A pretty close finsh, it being impossible to name the winner ' until the numbers went up. Time —11 seconds. Tradesman's Race of 120 yds. C. Gall 2yds. 1 H. Peckham, scratch 2 T. Leather, yards 3 Another close finish. Time--13 secs. Mile Handicap. C. H. Welch, 55 yards 1 M. Harrison, 22yds 2 E. La Frentz 50yds 3 After an excellent race in which Harrison tried his utmost, to pass his man, Welch won by five yards, a similar distance separating the second and third man. Time—4 min. 40 sec. High Jump. Hammond, 4ft Uin, 1 O'Brien 2 Girls, Sixteen and under. Nora Burgess 1 Barbara Suttie 2 Doris Landon 3 Obstacle Race. S. Berryman 1 M. Harrison 2 E. La Frentz 3 This proved the most amusing race of the day, the competitors after their passage through the sacks presenting a strangely varie gated appearance some being black, some white, some yellow, and others red—that caused great laughter. They looked more like Indians on the war-path than innocent competitors at a sports gathering. Greasy Pig. C. Gall. The pig’s career was brief, Gall seizing it shortly after the whistle went. The other competitors, dissatisfied with the result, started another race on their own , but the judge was firm in his determination not to recognise the contest, and awarded the animal to Gall. CONCERT. The grand promenade concert, held in the King's Hall during the evening, proved as successful as the sports. The attendance was large ; the programme submitted was varied and enjoyable; and the floor was in excellent condition ; while the music provided gratuitously by the Huntly Orchestra was capital. During the evening Mr J. P. Bailey, in the unavoidable absence of the president, Mr L. B. Harris, jun., presented the trophies won during the day. Tire dancing and the piping by the winners in the competition was greatly appreciated by the audience, the recall of the various performers being again and again demanded. In addition to dancing the programme com- : prised Highland dances by Pipe ; Sergeant - Major Macdonald, Piper Haddow, and the pupils of Miss Todd, Frankton ; bag-pipe selections, by Pipers Macdonald, Haddow and Dixon ; orchestral selections by the Huntly Orchestra ; and songs by Mesdames A Crowder, W. J. Ralph, jun., Mrs Deed (2), - Messrs Oliver Drewett and G. Allen (2.)