NORTH TARANAKI HUNT.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 August 1916, Page 8

NORTH TARANAKI HUNT.

SUCCESSFUL .VERT AT SENTRY lira. Until just recently, the. weather conditions have been remarkably favorable for limiting. The season is'now drawing to a close, and, all things consMercd, it has been very successful!.' The class and quality of horses nut an; superior to former years, especially is this so in regard to those hunters that are ■jualifying for ' racing honors, and it may be pointed out that those candidates have been kept very strictly up to their requirements in order to pain the necessary signatures of the master on their qualification cards. It is confidently expected therefore that the forthcoming Hunt Club races will provide far move enjoyable sport than is usually obtained at ordinary race-meet-ings, for who doe s not love to see good jumping, especially when "the colors are up," and every hunter and rider out to .vin ? The North Taranaki Hunt Club is fortunate in that its active members are, with the exception of a small minority, farmers, and it is more than pleasing to be present at the meets to accept the genuine welcome and hospitality that are always e.vtended to folliwers of hounds and spectators. To Mr. and Mrs. F. Sampson, of Sentry Hill, can be given credit for being amongst the principal initiators of the North Taranaki Hunt Club, and they with their sons liave continued to be amongst its best supoortcrs in a most practical way. The storm and rain which continued throughout Thursday last prevented the meet fixed for that day, but hounds and followers turned up at Mr. and Mrs, Sampson's invitation on Saturday. Light rain set in about 11 a.m., but the hounds vere thrown off at the Sentry Hill cross roads at 1 p.m. Two gullies were drawn a blank, but a big gorse patch produced a strong hare which gave a splendid run; first, away over the-Maori ground and down to the banks of the Waiongona, to some cover. Hiunds soon had the hare routed out, and away it sped to some big gorse by the old Redoubt, only to be sent on again. It then took a line across the main road into Mr. Jeffrey's farm, and continued its course right to the Mangaoraka stream, where it was very hard pressed for a time. It got well away again, however, and struck out for home country, and as it had the advantage of an uphill run, it left the pack in full cry. mid eventually saved its scut in a (yell cover'd swamp. Heavy rain fell, nil the time, which made the going very hard for the horses, ijut the jumping was good throughout, iind not one fall was noticed. Amongst the followers were: Miss Picrott on Greyboy, the Master (Mr. A. '(I. Halcombe) on' Larrikin, Huntsman Rook on the well-known and clever i'iilly, .). Xortheott (whin) on Pohoi. McDonnell on Southern, Norman Peppcrill d:i Wnrea and Left-hand, I'. Sampson on fiaiciy Girl, West on Railway, X. . Tnlton oil Toilet. Johnston on Captain ' Dick, and A. Xortheott on Nestor. Amongst the spectators were: Mr. Clifford and partv, Mr. and Mrs. Ellis, Messrs. B. H. Chancy, W. Hookliam, C. Topliss, and P. Really. Mr. and Mrs. Sampson entertained the assemblage to afternoon tea, after winch the master extended the thanks of the tlub to the host and hostess, and to the surrounding farmers over whose lind (he hunt had run. This meet, which took place in the rain, may be cited as one of the glorious uncertan'ties of hunting, in that, it ivas an unexpected success from a hunting point of view.