HARRIER ACTIVITIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 May 1938, Page 9

HARRIER ACTIVITIES

MASTERTON CLUB CELEBRATES ANNIVERSARY GOOD RACING AND KEEN FINISHES SCOTTISH WINS TEAMS RACE The Masterton Harrier Club held its twenty-sixth anniversary meeting in sunny weather at the Park oval on Saturday. Good racing and keen finishes were features of the day. In the big event of the afternoon, the five mile scratch race, a field of thirty athletes faced the starter (Mr W. S. L. Dickson), who sent them away to a good start. G. Gregory of the local club was the first to show out when the field settled down, closely followed by Bartlett, Riddington, Stevens, all of Scottish, and Wright (Masterton). By the time the stock yards were reached, Gregory had a comfortable lead, which he increased as he got into the more broken country by the river. Nearing Faulknor’s bowser station Gregory was obviously in trouble, for his lead had been decreased by Bartlett and Riddington, who were running very strongly together, and on crossing the oval the Scottish pair had a lead of 25 yards on Gregory, who had a very bad stitch. Gregory was followed, at intervals, by Mclntyre, Stevens, Varlich, Bourgeois, Wright, Kennedy and Cox. It was obvious, at this stage, that Scottish would take the teams’ race, for with Stevens as their key man, they had four of the first five men to pass through the oval. Positions changed very little during the second lap, but when the leaders reached the park to complete one round of the Oval, Bartlett's solid running over the finishing stages enabled him to run home victor by about 50 yards. Bartlett finished very strongly. Gregory entered the Oval about 15 yards ahead of Riddington, who faded somewhat over the last half-mile. Then came Varlich, Stevens, Mclntyre, Bourgeois, and Wright at regular intervals. The winner’s time was 29 mins. 38 secs. Scottish No. 1 team (Bartlett, Varlich, Stevens, Bourgeois), won the team’s race with 17 points; Masterton No. 1 team, 36 points, 2; Scottish No. 2 team, 39 points, 3rd. Results:—

First ten places:—Bartlett (S), 1; Gregory (M), 2; Riddington (Sb) 3; Varlich (S), 4; Stevens (S), 5; Mclntyre (Dan.) 6; Burgeois (S) 7; Wright (M) 8; Kennedy (Sb) 9; and Cox (S) 10. The quarter-mile relay race, provided good racing, for the Scottish No. 1 team, comprising Cameron, C. Brown, Bourgeois, BroWn, to win by 10 yards from Masterton. Results were: —Scottish, No. 1,1; Masterton No. 1,2; Scottish No. 2, 3. The one mile steeplechase was another good race. At the gun the athletes moved fast to the first hurdle where Frederickson had a lead of two yards from Howard and Ballantyne. At the end of the first lap Pullar went to the front with Ballantye and Garty close on his heels. These positions were maintained right to the end of the race. Pullar won by 10 yards with 8 yards between second and third. Time 5 min 6 secs. Ballantyne, the young Scottish athlete, created a very favourable impression by his game exhibition during the race.

Garty 3. Time 5 min 6 sec. Results: —Pullar, 1; Ballantyne, 2; Old Members' Race: —C. Talbot (1936), 1; L. Emery (1930), 2. Ladies’ Race:—Miss Yates, 1; Miss Sutherland 2; Miss Kennedy 3. Married Men’s Race: —R. Gully, 1; J. Hunter, 2; M. Quayle, 3.

KIATERE CLUB NOVICE CHAMPIONSHIP The Kiatere Harrier Club held its annual novice championship race on Saturday for the handsome challenge cup, presented by a lady supporter of the club. The course, laid by Messrs J. Ryder and W. Burns, started up the road from the Solway Showgrounds, along Railway Road to the Solway School, and then across country to the river, which was followed downwards for some distance, before striking off at right angles, to come out at the Bowser station, when the road was followed to the finish. The three eligible competitors were started by Mr G. C. H. Traill. A smart pace was set and for the first half mile the runners held together. Shortly after striking the paddocks, however, B. Falloon established a few yards lead on L. Francis with C. Jackson a short distance back. Over the remainder of the course B. Falloon, showing fine form, steadily increased his lead, and ran in a comfortable winner in the excellent time of 17 min 20 sec, with L. Frances second in 18 min 46 sec and E. Jackson third.

It is interesting to note that the winner and runner-up were both prominent junior runners of the club a few years back, the former being also last year’s Technical School Cross Country Champion. A training run over five miles was held for those runners not eligible to compete in the Novice Championship, there being twenty starters. For the most part a solid pace was maintained. The race in over the last half-mile resulted:—A. Burns, 1; A. L. McDonald, 2; W. Burgess, 3.