PATRIOTIC APPEAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 April 1942, Page 2

PATRIOTIC APPEAL

EARLIER MILITARY DISPLAYS.

This is a great day for “John Bull.” There should be a record crowd at Solway today. “John Bull” remembers the military splendour of the days of the Boer War when the youth of Masterton spent hours polishing their saddles and martingales and dreaming of joining the New Zealand Rough Riders. One demonstration was put on in that period at the old showgrounds (now the Memorial Park) when the Maori Mounted Squadron (British) met the Masterton-Tinui Mounted Squadron (enemy) and the enemy duly took to flight, Horsemanship took pride of place in these days, and to the crowd the Lloyd Lindsay display was one of the leading features on the programme. After forty years “John Bull” can see the Tilson brothers with their four grey horses jumping the hurdles in perfect unison, followed in the next round by one rider leading three horses over the same hurdles. Pike’s piebald ponies were never as smooth performers, but a few years later the Schofield brothers, from Tinui; were very strong challengers. Today the horse has passed from the scene of battle, but one poem written of the soldiers of these days remains true today:

“Each of them doing his country’s work (and what have you got to spare), Pass the hat for your credit’s sake and pay—pay—pay.”