Sportsman Jim

NZ Truth, Issue 1206, 10 January 1929, Page 6

Sportsman Jim

WHEN the sporting archives of NeW Zealand are being recorded the name of Jim Clarke, of New Brighton, must figure prominently near the top of the list. Though still a young man,. Jim has retired from active participation m all forms of sport except the one at which he makes his living. The spirit of adventure for ever percolated through him, and it was this which prompted him to enlist for service as a trumpeter for the Boer 'V/ar When he was a mere lad of fifteen years. , In his home town, Dunedin, Jim reached the top rung of all branches of sport m which he was interested, and represented the province at

Rugby, Soccer and cricket, though it was at the former as a pupil of Jim Duncan, that he achieved most success. Though an engineer by calling, Jim by mere chance got into the trotting game while spending a holiday m Australia, and he hopped off on the right foot as a trainer and driver by winning a race at Richmond, Victoria, at his. first attempt. Since then his success m the sport has kept him well before the public, and there is no one whose name is re-

vered m ore by true sportsmen than Jim Clarke. He - had the distinction of being the first man to train and drive a horse at a 2.10 grait m Australasia, and also was privileged ■to break . m and supervise the early education of two great horses m Peter and Great Bingen.

Jim enjoys the confidence of the people m the game who matter, and as treasurer of the Canterbury Owners' and Breeders' Association he is pulling his weight to place the game on air. even higher footing, than it enjoys to-day. Wifh a thorough knowledge of what is fair, cultivated by a life -long experience m the field of amateur sport, Jim sits on a high pedestal m the eyes of good s'portsrrjen and his popularity is a by-word not only, m his province, but throughout the country. ' ' •