RANGITIKEI RACING CLUB.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2322, 30 August 1921, Page 1

RANGITIKEI RACING CLUB.

SOME EARLY HISTORY

By an Aer of the Provincial Council of Wellington, passed |>n Jt nr- 10th, 1802, provision was made for the appropriation and management. of certain lands for the purpose of forming a race course in I lie Rangitikei District. This unique action on the part of the Provincial Council was a graceful action to those worthy pioneers who fought and hied for the safety of their homes and families and finally settled down in Rnngitikei, Notable amongst the early mein-, bers of the Rangilikei Racing Club (culled from the records prior to 1874) were Majors Willis, Marshall, Morse, Mcßarneli and Cray; Captains Danicll, Penningion, Richardson, Trafford, Jordan, Russell, and Pringle, Sir James Wilson, John Stevens, M.H.R., John MeKolvie senr.. Jas. Bull sour., David Scot!, Donald Fraser, and ninny others win, did much to make racing hisjorv in New Zealand.

The programme of a meeting held on the Rangilikei course on March 17th, 1870, makes inloresling reading, and shows the stout class of hor.se entered for by ilie* pioneers of the n,SI riel. Nine races figure on.the card, of which one was for trolling horx."-; two hncdle races, each ,d a mile and a-half, ever hurdles JIT. Oiii '-., supplied Ihe jumping sport. The Produce Stair ~

<s, a weight • f.«r- aft*"* race, £ * f**r horses that had never ran far pub lit- Hirin'-v, raid which had been bred in ilic colony," extended to n mile and a -half. Then followed the Stock Tforso Race, “foe horses the properly of stock owners in tho Province, which had been icguiariy ridden after ‘dock for at least twelve months previously to (ho meeting." The distance war two and a-half miles, The Tadic--.’ Purse, one mile and a-half; rite Rangdikvi Flex Mill Plate (open), two miles; rite Rangirikei Stakes lopen.L two miles and tt-hulf, and the'Fonsolnfiou Race, one milt and a distance, completed the galloping events. The [roiling nice was twice round -the course, “catch wcighF." The next year the programme was the same, except thru the following ruin was added: “The Bn it-' of the tale Wanganui Fln’t, will be adhered

Racing flourished in Ratiguike when sport waned in other districts • lie spirit of ihe pioneers being •reflected in rjteir dee vend nuts right down through RongitikeTs long record of sixty-five year- <.i racing