AWAKERI SPORTS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 445, 1 February 1933, Page 6

AWAKERI SPORTS

Our Own Cori'espondent) .

successful meeting FINE WEATHER PREVAILS AND GOOD SPORT IS WITNESSED • DANCE AT NIGHT

(From

The eleventh annual sports meeting of the Awakeri Sports Club drew a fair attendance to Luke's farm at Awakeri. The great improvements effected to the track, together with the ideal surroundings and the traditional hospitality of the club members, insured for all a most enjoyable day. The president, Mr. A. L. Luke, the secretary, Mr. S. T. Keen, and the other officials are deserving of all praise for the smooth running of the • meeting. Results of the events are as follows. — Running Events Maiden Handicap, 100yds. — Luke, 1; D. Bridger, 2. Luke running off 12yds. was an easy winner. "Awakeri Open Handicap, 100yds. — First Heat: R. Bridger, 2yds, 1; Parker, yds, 2 ; W. Grose, 8yds, 3. Time, 10 4-5s. This was a close finish. Second heat: Luke, 14yds, 1; G. Baxter, 8yds, 2; K. Pyne, 11yds, 3. Time, 10 4-5s. Luke won by two feet. There was very little between the second and third men. Final: Luke, 14yds, 1; R. Bridger, 2yds, 2; G. Baxter, yds, 3. Time, 10 2-5s. Luke won easily. Bridger just headed Baxter at the tape. On the running of these two races it was obvious that Luke was a much better runner on the day than his handicaps indicated. Open Handicap, 440yds. — Dawson, 40yds, 1; G. Oswald, 27yds, and Akeroyd, 35 yds, dead-heat, 2. Time, 51 3-5s. There were eight starters and they went a great race for Dawson to just win from the dead-heat-ers. Oswald lost fully six yards at the start through failing to leave with the gun. Open Handicap, 880yds, — Oswald, 32yds, 1; Luke, 60yds, 2; W. Grose, 33yds, 3. Time, 2 2-5s. This provided one of the most exciting finishes of the day. Oswald and an unnumbered runner running neck and neck for over 300yds. The unknown collapsed about three yards from the tape, to let Oswald finish a comfortable winner. Open Handicap, 1 mile. — Young, 150yds, 1; L. Grose, 80yds, 2; F. Brown, 130yds, 3. Time, 4.51s. This was a slow-run race, and Young who was never headed, won by about 40 yds from Grose. Grose tried hard in the last lap to get up with Young, but could make little impression on the "maiden" winner. Other Events High Jump. — Kelly, 4ft lliin., 1; D. Bridger, 2. As Kelly had five inches handicap, Goldsmith the scratch man, who had cleared 5 feet 2 inches, would have had to do better than 5ft 4!in to win. This proved to be beyond him on the day. Youths' Hop, Step and Jump. — Kelly, 37ft 7in, 1; Kenny, 2. Kenny was decidedly unlucky in this event. There was a dead-heat between Baxter and him for second and in the jump off he cleared 38ft 5in, lOin. more than the virtual winning jump. Open Hop, Step and Jump (handicap). — J. Stewart, 39ft 21in, 1. As Stewart had three feet handicap, Bridger, the scratch man, would have had to clear over 42ft 2£in to win. He had one jump and then retired. Ladies Race, 50yds. — Miss J. Sisam, 1; Miss B. Luke, 2. Throwing Crieket Ball. — A. Waldron, 1, 84yds. Chain Stepping. — A. Corbett, 1. The exact distance. Cycle Races. Cycle Handicap, 1 mile. — First heat: J. Whitten, 20yds, 1; R. Denton, 100yds, 2; D. Aberhart, 50yds, 3. Second heat: R. Harland, 75yds, 1; T. Benton, 200yds, 2; W. Archer, 50yds, 3. Final. — J. Whitten, 20yds, 1; R. Benton, 100yds, 2. Time, 2.34 3-5s. Whitten caught his field in the third lap and won fairly comfortably Cycle Handicap, 2 miles. — D. Aberhart, 75yds, 1; R. Benton, 160 yds, 2. Time, 5.T8 l-5s. By his win in this race, his third, Aberhart won outright the Armstrong Cup. •Open Cycle Handicap, 1| miles. — J.. Whitten, 20yds, 1; R. Benton, 140 yds, 2. Time, 3.57 2-5s. There was a. big field in this race and the issue was open until the home streteh was reached, where Whitten came away to win from Benton. Incidentally, this marked Benton's third second in ,the three races so far run. Cycle Handicap, 3 miles. — S. Doncaster, 190yds, 1; R. Harland, 190 yds, 2. Time, 8.4. There were nine starters in this race, and though the crowd kept barracking for the back mdrkers, Whitten and Aberhart, they

tound themselves unable to get up With Doncaster and Harland, who rode together throughout the three miles. The unlucky men were C. Jones and E. Wilson, who were with .the eventual winners for the greater . p.art of the race., until Jones fell going out of the straight and foreed Wilson right off the track. Cycle Handicap, half mile: Boys undev 16.— M. Shaw, scr, 1; Foote, 1 5yds," 2 : D. Brown, scr, 3. Horse Events There was a large gathering of • hoVses and riders, including severa] ladies and entries in most of the . events were numerous. Maiden Hunters' Jumping Compe- . fition.- — Mrs. H. Gordon, 1; J. Thompson, 2. The efforts of some of the hon-es and their riders in this event 'produced much amusement. One horse succeeded in getting "cast" on the first hurdle and refused to go back or forward for quite some time. Hunters' Jumping Competition. — - W. Black, 1; Mrs. H. Gordon, 2. • Open Jump. — W. Black, 1; J. Morris, 2 ' and 3. Bending Uompyetition. — G. Kelly, 1 : Mrs. H. Gordon, 2. * Flag Race. — J. Morris, 1 ; G. Kelly, 2' Stockwhip Competition.— G. Kelly, Concluding Dance - The day's events were brought to a fitting and happy conclusipn with a dance in the Awakeri Hall at night. In spite of the warmth of the weather*, this drew a large and cherry gathering. Although final figures are