“WILD WEST SHOW.”

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4361, 4 January 1922, Page 2

“WILD WEST SHOW.”

/ TOO WILD FOR THE PERFORMERS

The Wild West Carnival, whic.i made its appearance at the Addington Show Grounds recently turned out. to be a good deal wilder than its promoters anticipated, reports the Lyttelton Times.” There was a very large crowd, numbering in the neighbourhood of 10,000. There was dissatisfaction at the outset, on account, it is said, of the prices being higher than expected, and this, coupled with subsequent happenings, resulted in the crowd giving the “wild” portion of the performance and causing the cowboys to seek police protection.

The first item on the programme was the handling and riding of uiri broken colts, but the spectators did not appear to be as thrilled as they might have been. Several like exhibitions were given, and one of merit was that of “Queensland Harry,” an Australian horseman- By this time the ■ crowd had become impatient. A number of men broke over the fence at the far end of. the ground and swarmed into the arena just at the time a rider was cantering after a herd of cattle, and -was making ,a great noise with his stockwhip. The crowd did not approve of his mode af driving and closed in upon him. Unfortunately he hit a man in the crowd with his whip, and before he knew where he was he had been dragged off his saddle and the crowd handled him badly for a time. He vras finally thrown over the fence, and rescued by the police. The man who fiad been struck by the whip seized the horse and was careering up and down the arena, cheered uproariously by the multitude.

Having disposed of one cowboy, the crowd searched for others. Only one, however, was found, .and he was bailed up in a corner and surrounded by people who demanded a return of their money, but he pointed out that

the matter was one with which he had nothing tp do. A number of the cattle had broken loose by this time, and were charging over the grounds, and some, driven by terror, rushed at the fences, causing the crowds to retreat precipitately. Ladies screamed and the hardier gentlemen gave creditable exhibitions of amateur steerriding, their efforts being greeted hy general applause and cheering., A big colt which had been loose alii, the

afternoon came rushing down the field and knocked down a boy, who was later removed tp the Christchurch Hospital, suffering from internal injuries. Two mounted police then rode into the arena and rescued the remaining cowboy from the mob. As he rode away in triumph they exhorted him to "hold his head up and Ipok cheerful. 1 ” A section of the crowd made a demonstration for the return of their money, and one orator appealed dramatically to the people in the stand to “pop round and get your dollars back,” but the stand- inhabitants were not worked up to the same state of excitement as those who had tasted blood in the arena and they ren mained spectators of the scenes below.

The crowd then broke away round into stables at the back of the stand, and demonstrated there for some

time. It wps < a miracle that people were not killed, for in the confined space horses and other beasts were almost‘out of control. One man received a severe kick on the leg from a powerful horse, .but no other damage was done. 1 When the excitement waned it became obvious that the show was ended, and slowly tihe spectators went away home, most of them feeling that they had had a good afternoon’s “wild” entertainment. The cattle-drafting championship of New Zealand and the Buck-jumping championship of New Zealand, events which were supposed to have been decided during the afternoon, were abandoned..