THE WAIRARAPA HUNT CLUB.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4127, 2 June 1892, Page 3

THE WAIRARAPA HUNT CLUB.

The Masterton Hunt

That the residents of Masterton and the settlers of the district generally display a keen interest in the good old English sport of hunting was clearly demonstrated yesterday when the second hunt of the season in connection with the Wairarapa Hunt Club was held at the Opaki, near Mus ■ terton. For fully an hour bofore the " meet" took place vehicles of every description were pouring into town from all tides, and shortly before two o'clock, when the huntsman and his hounds left for the Opaki, the streets bore a most animated appearance. Visitors from Wellington and every town in the Valley were present, some intent on following the hounds, others anxious to see the run, The weather, delightfully fine as it was, induced old men and women, young men and maidens alike to set aside their business engagements and household duties and join in the pleaanre-seeking throng, and when the throw-off took place fully a thousand persons must have lined the road and dotted the Lunsdowne hill. Than the latter no better vantage spot could be obtained, at from it the run could be distinctly seen from start 10 finish,

The huntsmen, about sixty innumber, having been entertained at luncheon at Lansdowue by Mr Wivern Williams, proceeded to a paddock lent by Mr Stone, where the throwoff was to take place, Here the master of the hounds, Mr W, E, Bidwill, delivered a short address, in whioh he thanked Mr Williams for his genial hospitality and advised the huntsmen to be cautious in their riding, This function over the horses were formed into line, the huntsman's horn Bounded and away went the field in a merry pace after the bounds with a ory of" Tally Ho I" Tho first fence, a three-railed one, was safely negotiated by all, but the second, lead ing into Mr Adams' paddocks, proved rather too stiff for one or two. Then came a couple of gorse hedges in sue* cession, followed by a four-railed fenoe from an uphill run, Over these the horses flew with apparent ease, but then came a pause. In jumping the sixth fence—a gorse one—one of the leading horses stumbled and fell. After bim came several others, each coming down heavily with his rider, It was an anxiouß moment. From the bill could be seen one unfortunate huntsman stretched upon the ground. He could not move, and every horse that crossed the fence seemed to fall upon him, until it was thought he must have been crushed to death, Down tho hill ran Dr. Hosking and wi|h hint a crowd, but before he arrived at the scene of tho accident the ohase bad been resumed, Tho hounds by this time were half a mile ahead, followed olosely by Huntsman Eoake BDd another, The field resolved itself into open order, each jump being refused by somo, Across the paddocks of Mr Matthews they swept in grqups, over fence after fence, through the fields of Mr Wilton, right up to the entranco of the Opaki racecourse, where a cheok took place, about forty of the huntsmen having succeeded in getting thuß far, After a few minutes' reat the return journey was commenced, The huntsman led tho way, followed olosely by the whole of the field, and the jumping was really good. Not a fall occurred, the fpnceß, whioh by tbis time bad been considerably levelled, being taken with the utmost ease. In a few minutes the forty huntsmen were at" theHeatb, and the hunt, which in every respect waß a success, was at an end,

Tho course was two miloa and a half in length, and there wore thirtythree jumps, including a water jump, The rail feDces were four feet in height and tho gorse hedges five or six. The hounds, which were under tho control of Pick the well looivn'huniV roan, and 'Mr W. Hughes, the .whip-per-in, ran very well at first, although }t waß somo time before they got on the trail. In returning liownver, they were somewhat' scattered, some pf them being behind the riders. To mention the iip'es' of those who were ijre'f ho'ripVt the kill" would be lq pnepu'rage furious, tiding, one of the jyprst features in hunting, and we therefore refrain from supplying our ,readera with information- on this point. We are. sure, however, that every spectator will agree with us when we state that Mr Selby (of Eketahuna), who is an old English; huntsman, Mr J. Eenall, Mr Pearce and the huntsman deserve special mention for their olever horsemanship, ■ • ,; "$t the conclusion of the run the. huiitsnien "were treated id refresh'rhentf by Mr W. Hirschberg, the energetic Secretary of the local fipmjnittpe, tp wipe efforts was jn a large measure (iup the' success 0} the gathprmg. ■