CHRISTMAS SPORTS.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 71, 30 December 1871, Page 3

CHRISTMAS SPORTS.

Yesterday the remaining events advertised by the Committee, came off at Tararu very successfully indeed. There I was again a large attendance of the Dublin, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves very much indeed. Perfect order was kept, an excellent ring having been laid out and roped round on purpose for the wrestling, and inside this none hut the competitors and the Committee were allowed to come. The first event on the programme was 1. TROTTING MATCH (Handicap)—2 miles. Entries, 10s Gd. First prize, L 7 ; second, L 3. For this there were six entries, and they were handicapped as follows : —Frecnev, scratch ; Tiger (late Hector), scratch ; Tc Kooti, 350 yards; Nelly, 300 yards; Tommy, 200 yards; Topscy, 250 yards. The race was three times round the course. At the second time round the black horse, Tiger, had overhauled the leading horse, and at tlie third time went ahead and won as be liked, Freenoy being second some distance in rear. With tlie exception of the winner and Tommy, all the horses broke, some of them several times, but the two above-mentioned trotted the race from beginning to end without tlie sign of a break. Tho next even was 2. WRESTLING (Collar and Elbow)—Entries, ss. First prize, L 7 ; second, L 3. This event, for which a silver cup bad been presented by the Irishmen at tlie Thames as an additional prize, and which is very handsome, being worth £ls, only brought out four competitors, two of whom were Cornish wrestlers. Fitz Gerald, an old and experienced wrestler, was a hot favourite from the beginning, and money was freely offered to back him. Manning threw Johns, his adversary, once, and tlie latter retired. Fitz Gerald threw Penliale twice, and then lie and Manning were pitted against one another. Manning's chance was looked on as small, but after a long play between the two, Fitz Gerald found himself lying recumbent at the feet of Young New Zealand, who repeated the dose in the next round, much to Ihe surprise of all hands, and much to his own, this being the first time lie lias competed at this style of wrestling. 3. WRESTLING (Cornish Style)—Entries, ss. First prize, L 7 : second, L 3. For this six competitors appeared, and were paired as follows: Johns and Ilamiora, Richards and Gloyne, Dunn and Penliale. Johns threw Hamiora (the Maori) easily, and Gloyne, after several failures, got Richards on his back. Pcnliale and Dunn played long and well, and at last the latter laid Penliale low. Johns and Gloyne were then left to light for first prize, Dunn having retired from the contest in favour of Gloyne. Johns, however, proved too good for his adversary, and came off tlie winner of the cup presented by the North of England men, and the first money prize. 4. WRESTLING (Cumberland style)—Entries, ss. First prize, ; second,

Nine men entered for this, and Manning was a hot favourite from the start. They were paired off as follows : —Sanderson and Young, Dodd and Te Nuio, Manning and Ilamiora, Briggs and llctlicrington ; Stanley, odd man. “Ballarat” threw Young after two trials. Dodd soon got rid of the Maori, and Manning also put his man quietly down. Briggs retired, loaving llctlicrington standing. Dodd and Stanley next came, and the latter won easily. Manning next laid Sanderson low. Hctlieringion then tackled Stanley, and threw him, thus having to wrestle with Manning for first prize. The best two out of three falls was the winner, and this Manning won, thus carrying oil’ two first prizes for wrestling. During the time the wrestling was going on the QUOIT MATCH —Distance 21 yards, clay ends ; open to all comers. Entries, 2s (id. Players to find their own quoits. First prize, pair Silver Quoits, presented by Mr F. H. Lewissou ; second and third prizes will be awarded by tlie Committee, was being played outside the ring. Nine competitors entered, and play was continued for several hours. Sonic excellent games were played, but space will not permit of our giving them in detail. George Kerr came off victorious, having beaten four different men during the day. Livingstone took the second prize, and Muir came in for the third. Kerr’s play throughout was excellent, and much admired by those who understood it.

The Race, for Boys came off, when about 50 or CO youngsters came forward to contend for Mr Lewisscm’s prize. A lad named Coombes came in first, receiving 10s, and the second and third lads got 5s each.

During the day aback Hurdle Race was got up, for which 8 started. Lynch’s grey pony, Donuybrook, walked away from the others, and won the race at the time all the other horses had been once round. Leonard’s Dan O’Connell came in second, the others being all close up. And thus the Christmas Sports of 1871 were brought to a conclusion after the most successful meeting of the soil that has ever been held at the Thames. The management really deserve great credit for the manner in which everything was carried out. Wc understand that the prizes will he presented on Monday evening next, at the Theatre Royal.