POPULAR CLUB

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 293, 2 March 1928, Page 7

POPULAR CLUB

WAIKATO’S PROGRESS LIVE-WIRE PRESIDENT SOUND TEAM WORK The Waikato Trotting Club will stage another of its extremely popular fixtures at Claudelands tomorrow, when a great day’s sport is promised the numerous patrons of the progressive light harness organisation. All arrangements for the successful carrying out of the function are well in hand and everything points to a record meeting. Few sporting bodies in New Zealand enjoy the popularity of the Waikato Trotting Club, which for many years past has maintained a steady progressive policy. Success was not looked upon by the executive as a means of building up a surplus fund,

but with commendable spirit it was turned to the advantage of those who help to make the pastime flourish, owners and the general public.

The Waikato Club has been fortunate in the selection of its management staff, and especially so in having' as its head Mr. R. T. ‘Dick” Reid, whose lengthy experience of sport generally and trotting in particular, has eminently fitted him for the post he occupies. Dick has long been recognised as the “live wire” of the Claude lands Association, and while the club is meeting with such success under liis regime, this happy state of affairs is brought about by the cooperative system in vogue among the various officials. “Team work” is the motto of the Waikato Club, and Dick

Reid 5.s skipper of the team. The course at Claudelands is one of .the finest among the trotting properties in the Dominion, and it is due wholly and solely to the initiative, energy and progressiveness of the executive that such a valuable property is now in existence in the locality. The scheme of renovation, alteration and improvement was not undertaken without a great deal of heavy expense, but the club, finding profits flowing into its coffers, decided to launch out, and at a figure somewhere in the vicinity of £IO,OOO, the scheme was completed. The new tracks, and appointments stand to-day as a monument to the progressiveness of the popular country club. The programme to be submitted tomorrow is a most attractive one, and naturally has drawn a splendid class of competitor, which in turn cannot fail to provide fans with interesting and exciting sport. The Waikato Cup is the chief item on this excellent card, for which £SOO has been allotted, the winner to re-

ceive £ 350. But in addition to this tidy cheque the fortunate owner will be the recipient of a handsome gold cup, which is valued at £75. The driver of the winner will receive a gold-mounted whip, which has been presented to the club by the Kohn Company with its customary generosity. Since its inception the Waikato Cup has been won by many good horses, the most noteworthy of whom is Ahu* riri, who won the event in 1922 and 1923. Bryce’s candidate followed up these successes by annexing the New Zealand Cup in two successive years, while last December he added an Auckland Cup to his list. Concliff, last year’s winner, recently won the Dunedin Cup, and despite other failures may add further big scalps to his belt.. Past winners in All Bell and Wallroon will contest the race to-morrow, in which a strong field gives promise of providing a thrilling spectacle.