UAWA SPORTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 710, 5 January 1903, Page 3

UAWA SPORTS.

The annual sports under the auspices of the Uawa Athletic Club were held on New Year’s Day. There was fine weather, a good attendance, and an excellent day’s sports. The chief feature was the leaping match, for which there were 17 competitors, the winner being Mr W. McNeils Maori, ridden by Mr W. Lougher. Passengers were brought up to the course by the Iranui, and also by Mr W. Walker’s coach, and the arrangements in every respect were excellent. The following were the officers : President, Mr A. Reeves; vice-presi-dent, Mr J. M. Nelson ; judges, Messrs H. Glover, ,J. H. McNeil, George Fitzgerald ; clerk of course, Mr N. Spence; secretary and treasurer, Mr C. E. Smith; handicappers, Messrs J. A. Moore, J. B. Morris, J. H. McNeil; trotting committee, Messrs E. Boland, J. B. Morris, C. E. Smith; leaping match judges, Messrs J. A. Moore, J. B. Morris, E. Boland; starter, MrE. Boland; committee, Messrs W. Farrell, D. Macfarlane, J. Wilson, A. P. Agnew, W. McNeil, W. A. Tulloch, W. Reoves, J. H. Martin, H. Oldfield, G. Reynolds, O. Williams, G. Watkins, G. Boreham, G. Hale. The results were : Maiden Race, 120yds. First prize Xl ' second ss. C. Rylands ... ••• 1 Collier ... ••• 2 Four starters. Fine race ; Rylands won by a couple of yards Boys’ Handicap, under 16, 150yds. First prize 7s 6d ; second 2s 6d. G. Templo ... ••• 1 Hataraka ... ••• 2 Six started, Temple winning easily. Uawa Handicap, 100yds. First prize £2 10s; second, XT.

D. Cameron, Byds ... 1 W. McNeil, 4yds ... 2 A. Smith, Iyd 3 Ten starters, Cameron winning by about four yards. Hack Raco, onco round. Four sovereigns and sweepstake of 4s to be divided between first and second horses. G. Williams’ Slowcoach (owner) ... 1 W. Fowlds’ Keforrn (owner) 2 Thero were seven starters, and a splondid finish ensued. Williams’ Slowcoach belied his name, and, instead of being slow to move, got away very smartiy in the lead, and the owner handled him so well that he maintained tho lead just to the post, and won by a bare head, amidst great excitement, the win being a very popular one. Another yard or two and Reform would have prevailed. Time 1.59. Donkey Itace, 4 mile; last horse j£l, first rider ss. Norris’s Durbar (J. R. Murphy) ... 1 J. W. Wilson’s Lockett (M. Murphy)... 2 There were fourteen entries, and tho spectators had a doublo event for their money. When Mr Boland gave the word to go, the fourteen set off at a pace that, bar two, would not catch DeWet. The exceptions, not being slow enough to obtain firss prize, emulated good old Malcolm, and went away with great dash, M. Murphy getting his mount first past the post, but only by ahead, and thus winning second prizo. The rest of the nags wore out of train, though most of the riders (who of course rode each other’s horses) tried to get the best pace out of them ; no whips or spurs were allowed, nor the use of stirrups or leathers. Four horses that did not get along speedily were called upon to again compete, with different riders up, and a marked change was noticeable. Mr Norris’s pony being last obtained first prize. District Pony Race, 14.2 and under, J mile; Ist £2, 2nd 10s. H. Matinga’s Jubilee 1 J. R. Murphy’s Pilgrim 2 ( There were nine starters. Jubilee took up the lead half a mile away from home and won easily. ( Boys Handicap, under 12 ; Ist ss, 2nd 2s. Connelly, scr 1 G. Temple, 3yds 2 There were five starters, and Connelly, who is a regular flier, won easily. Hauiti Handicap, 220yds; Ist £2, 2nd 15s. A. Smith, 4yds ... ... ... ... 1 N. McKay, scr • ... 2 J. Rodgers, 10yds 3 There were seven starters, and the race was won by about four yards, a yard separating second and third. Cigar Race ; Ist £l. J. R. Murphy 1 There was a good contest, and a big field. Trooper H. Martin got away first, and soemed to have a safe win, but when a short distance from the winning post he dropped his cigar as he was trying to light it, and Murphy, who was making the pace warm, shot up first with cigar lighted. Open Handicap, 150yds, Ist J6l 10s, 2nd box cigars. TV. McNeil, 7yds 1 D. Cameron, syds 2 There were six starters. ThiA was the race of tha day. From a fine start McNeil, being very smart off the mark, took the lead at half distance, and there was then a grand tussle between him and the winner of the 100yds event, McNeil succeeding in beatiDg Cameron just on the tape. The finish was very exciting, and the winner was warmly applauded. Leaping Match, Ist £3, 2nd £l. TV. McNeil’s Maori Boy (Lougher) ... 1 D. Hawkins’s Forest King 2 W. McNeil’s The Bull ... 3

There were seventeen competitors, and a most interesting contest was witnessed, tho jumping throughout being excellent, excepting for two or three. The work done was of such even quality that in the jump-off there were still six left in—Duckling, Primrose, Avalanche, and tho placed horses. The judgos had no easy task to decide, tho jumping altogether being so good. Eventually they allotted the first prize to Maori Boy, the owner of which (riding Tho Bull) also got a third place. Time Trot, twice round course, Ist £3, 2nd 10s. J, W. Wilson’s Sonny, BQsecs (owner) 1 M. Murphy’s Gorse, 70secs (owner) ... 2 There were thirteen starters Sonny took the lead about half a mile from nome, and won easily. Marlin’s Toby, the scratch horse, which had to give some of the others 11)0 seconds siart, wab warmly appiauded for the game attempt; he was ridden by the owner. Tilting at Ring, Ist prize £l, 2nd 10s. H. Martin 1

There was a large entry and an inter esting contest.