COURSING.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 September 1921, Page 11

COURSING.

VISIT TO NEW PLYMOUTH. HOW DREW’S HOPE WON THE TARANAKI CUP. PLEASANT EXPERIENCES OF NEW SOUTH WALES COURSERS.

(By “Amesbury,” in Sydney Referee.) In order to help the coursers of the Taranaki district, * the N.S.W. party, with the exception of Mr. G. C. Maddrell (who returned by the Maheno via Auckland), decided upon making, the long journey to New Plymouth, to assist at the Taranaki C.C.’s Cup meeti’ng at the Glenavon enclosure, the trophy being the giflt of that keen enthusiast and popular leashman, Mr; John Hannan, of Matiere. The visit cut both ways, however—it helped the club from the drawcard point of view, but it had the effect of curtailing the entry, the local, nominations being few and far between. The N.S.W. party together wtih Mr. Fraser Smith (president of the Hamilton C.C.), Mr. A. W. Brown (Dunedin), Mr. John Hannan (Matiere), and a number of Hamilton and Frankton coursers, left on Tuesday, after the Waterloo Cup, for New Plymouth, via Marton, whilst Amesbury went on to Wellington, rejoining the party on the eve of the meeting. IDEAL SURROUNDINGS.

The visitors were met and welcomed by Mr. R. Barlow (president), Mr. P. Stainton (chairman), and Mr. F. Doughty (hop. secretary), on their arrival, whilst Mr. Frank Wilson, the Mayor, visited them at their headquarters (the Imperial Hotel), and extended a welcome on behalf of the citizens. During our stay at New Plymouth, all the sights of the picturesque town were visited, whilst the party were invited to witness a football match and a boxing contest, and also taken on motor trips around the district.

In this article I do not propose to go into any extensive detail as to the enclosure or the coursing, but we surely coursed amidst charming curroundings—it would be hard to conceive anything more picturesque than Glenavon, almost, as it. were, under the shadow of snowclad Mount Egm on t. ENCLOSURE TOO SMALL. The enclosure is at present far too small, or, perhaps, I should say, not long enough, but it is to be remodelled, and as the going is excellent, it should eventually be a first-class one. As we saw it, the coursing was not convincing oi* satisfactory—in numerous cases the hare was barely reached as she drove to cover, or not reached at all, with a resultant no course. Thirty-two paid up for the Cup, and the draw did not favor us. as only one Australian dog (Baby Bunting) was in the top sixteen, the other five together, with the brace (Achieved’s First and Happy Go Lucky) sold to Dominion coursers, cutting one another up on the bottom half of the card. When the third round was reached it looked as if the winner would surely come from Drew’s Hope and Belle of Benalla (who had to meet), and Peggotty. and so it panned out, for the Australasian Waterloo Cup winner won handsomely, although ho had some luck in boating Belle of Benalla, whilst Peggotty after a no-course (in which she got heavily bumped and knocked out of her stride), went down before the N.S. Wales Champion Cup winner, Happy-G o -Lu cky. Of the others, Baby Bunting ran some trimming courses, and was surely the cleverest on the round. Quick as a flash out of slips, she is simply great on her hare, the failing being lack of pace. I may add that when Belle of Benalla—the unlucky bitch of the party, although Peggotty was surely unlucky, too —met Drew’s Hope the first named was a strong favorite.

DREW’S HOPE'S EXCFTT.ENT FORM.

Anyway, Drew’s Hope was consistently good throughout—he ran 12 courses within the week (six at Frankton on the Monday, and three at Glenavon on both Friday and Saturday), and never had a flag against him. The victory was popular, Mr. D’Arcy being warmly congratulated.

Befprc the party left New Plymouth there was an informal leave-taking at the Imperial Hotel. Mr. Coombes (president) and Mr. Foy (vice-president), of the N.S. Wales N.C.A., warmly thanked the Taranaki C.C. for the hospitality extended the visitors, particularly singling out Messrs. R. Barlow (president), P. Stainton (chairman), arid F. Doughty (hon. secretary). In reply, Messrs. Barlow and Stain ton made many oonplimentary allusions to the good sportsmanship which promoted the visit, a visit which would prove of immense benefit to coursing in New Zealand.