Hats Off to Ashhurst

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 19, 23 January 1937, Page 14 (Supplement)

Hats Off to Ashhurst

WIND PLAYS PRANKS WITH HOLIDAY CROWD.

Ashhurst racecourse is always the venue of, thousands of sporting folk for the Anniversary Bay fixture, as this popular club is noted for its wellrun meetings, yesterday’s gathering being no exception with promise of a fine day following a somewhat stormy night, it was not surprising that there was a record attendance to enjoy an excellent day’s sport. The club's course is very happily situated on a terrace overlooking the Pohangina and Manawatu rivers with picturesque clumps of native bush and lovely vistas of the Tararua ana Ruahine ranges and the Manawatu Gorge when one has time to stand and stare. But unfortunately for most of yesterday’s patrons, the wind, which at times reached almost gale force, was in its most playful mood, making the outing somewhat strenuous, particularly for the women folk. However, it was a good-natured crowd on pleasure bent, and those who found themselves on more than one occasion minus a hat, or wildly clutching fluttering garments, accepted it all with good grace. The unfortunates arriving late, found that instead of driving to the races they had to walk at least the best part of a mile, as all the car space was occupied. But the cheery attendants offered the consolation that at any rate the late comers would have the best of it on the homeward journey—still there was that walk back to the carl

Many made it a family day-out taking the picnic basket and all, and in such a crowd it was not surprising that some of tho smaller fry were mislaid at times. Even before tlie first race one kindly woman started out to find tho mother of a small boy, a reconciliation being effected after an appeal over the air. Car keys and a tobacco pouch were among the recovered articles but quite early in the day began the appeals for owners of innumerable hats blown across the lawn into tho Ashhurst Domain. Small boys had been quick to realise the possibilities of hunting expeditions for lost property in the “jungle" or nearby fields at the back of the course, and all day long the chase went on across the lawns. Soon convention went by the board and nothing mattered but to keep one’s hat. Elastics usually discreetly hidden in curls, were boldly tucked under chins; scarves which started out as a finish to a costume, became strings to control some flopping brims, and happy the woman who had thought to tuck a beret in her coat pocket. Even the jockeys were not immuno from tho whimsicalties of the wind and then caps were rudely snatched from their heads and blown away off the course. A Maori lady neatly attired in a black tailored costume with a picturesque burgundy scarf twisted round her head was the object of many envious glances. There was more than the usual cameraderie of a holiday crowd which was particularly noticeable at the end of the day by the way in which the motorists co-operated with the efficient traffic officials in dealing with a record number of vehicles thus enabling them to do the job expeditiously. Hats off to Ashhurst.