Its Firsi Race Meeting

It Was Just for the Day, But—

[?]KAINANTU PUT ON ITS BIGGEST SHOW FOR

Stock horses became racehorses; punters became horse- Dwners; and a well-known Territory pilot became a jockey just 'or the day, on September 8 at Kainantu, New Guinea, when i committee consisting of “most of Kainantu” staged the first 'ace meeting since World War II on the New Guinea mainland and the first ever in the Highlands.

>ME of the 300 people who attended started arriving by air and road on Saturday 7th, and >r inspecting the town—which sists of about eight families— ried off to the “auction” of ses. The 30 horses which had i walked-in 23-miles from the r ernment livestock station at

Arena, and from the Atkinson cattle ranch at Gusap, were housed in specially-built kunai stalls. The bidding was spirited and up to £3O a head was paid at the auction which raised £252/10/- for the fund.

But the unusual is accepted in New Guinea and the race meeting

held there was taken as a matter of course. The airstrip which was closed to flying from 10.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. became the course. All buildings were erected and demolished within a few days and the “punters” were mostly flown from the “beach” to 5,000 feet, the elevation of the “race course”; or travelled by road anything up to 80 miles in four wheel drive vehicles.

Kainantu, second township of the New Guinea Highlands (see PIM, August), added to its already established reputation for co operative effort. This was the town’s way of making a worthwhile contribution to the Gray-Smith

Photos; At extreme left, Mr. Bevin Murphy on Radish; and well

known Territory pilot

L. Crowley on Miss Apps, before, the start of a race.

At left, a bunched field heads down the straight in the Madang

Handicap.

Foot of page; Mrs. M.

Foley and Mrs. L.

Brady look cool and smart. Extreme right, one of the local resi dents looks even cooler.

appeal, an appeal launched to assist the widows of the two victims of the air crash which occurred in the Kainantu Sub-District some months ago. District population is only 120 Europeans—half of whom would be children or missionaries—who have no interest in racing—therefore the £4OO raised was no mean effort.

The handful of enthusiasts,

within a matter of days, erected 30 horse stalls, a grandstand for the ladies, a totalisator, semaphore board, luncheon booth, refreshment booth, saddling paddock, judges box with startin° signal, as well as winning post and running rail.

Seats were commandeered from the local movie theatre and these were placed about the lawn under beach umbrellas.

Proceedings opened with t “auction” of horses during t Saturday afternoon, and t enthusiasm of the visitors was sc displayed with ud to £3O be: paid for a “horse for a day”. I Peter Zuccollo paid £l7 “Peanuts” his own horse, while I Sid Staines, from Gusap, paid for two of his mares.

The Government Store \

At left: After early morning gallop—B. Murphy, of Lae; C. Cressy and C. Petrie, also of Lae. Right: Park your plane here! Som of the aircraft which did bus-duty for the day.

cleaned out, floor polished and the milding decorated for the Race Ball; a large barbecue built for the supper of steaks, and a whole 'oasted sheep; a round house serving as bar completed arrange nents for the Saturday night.

About 150 people attended this ‘unction which continued until 5 i.m.

Sunday Bth, saw the already swollen populace increased with the irrival of two more Mandated \irlines Ltd. DC3’s from Lae and me from Goroka, making an ittendance at the races of well over 100, plus, of course, some thousands if wondering natives.

Racing took place on the side of he airstrip, commencing at 11 i.m. with the Wau Welter, a three urlong race for stock boys, three if whom parted company with their nounts during the event with no 11 effects other than to their upporters on the tote.

The entire programme of seven ivents went off on time with fields anging from seven up to eleven starters. The concluding and »rincipal event, the President’s Cup iver four furlongs, went to Miss >at Constable’s aptly named “High and Lassie” ridden by Sid Staines, yho as an old “pro” came in first m four mounts during the day, ifith Steve Baxter, of Arona, and 10l Petrie, of Mumeng, taking out me each.

With the conclusion of the last

race just before 3 p.m. the waiting aircraft were wheeled onto the strip in front of the grandstand and the Air Lift Race Meeting was over.

By Monday afternoon the area was clean of buildings. As a Southern visitor said, he’d never seen a race course built in three days and demolished in one!

The hardworking committee was headed by local coffee planter, Mr.

Les Brady, an old race club executive, with Kainantu ADO “Big” Mick Foley as assistant and Chairman of Stewards; old Wauite, Mr. Austie Ireland and Mr. Dies: Winter, of Goroka, were the other stewards.

Mrs. Flora Stewart, Mr. Aub Schindler and any available aircraft captain (an assurance of sobriety!) were judges. Captains Deegan, Campbell, Glassey, Horlock (all of MAD and Lawrie Crowley (of Crowley Airways) took turns as judges. Mr. Col Fraser took the times.

Mr. Sam Marshall conducted the refreshment booth and Mr. Jan Booy was in charge of catering arrangements.

Local miner, Mr. Bill Bloomfield and Mr. Darcy Williams, from Goroka, did an excellent job as starters. Mr. Harry Bitmead as Secretary, and all the other officials worked splendidly to assure the success of the meeting.

District Commissioner Harry West gave good support as Patron.

Other than the sewing of jockey’s colours and saddle cloths, the ladies were not called upon to do other than grace the ballroom floor and the lawn.

The monetary support from busi ness houses in Lae was very generous as was that of private contributors from Messrs. Ted Übank (Kainantu miner since 1930), Jim Leahy, Bob Bunting, John Hohnen, Sid Staines, and Fred Mayos who donated first prizes.

Mrs. Flora Stewart very generously added £lO to the President’s Cup and three guineas to each of the other races.

Mr. lan Downs made his first public utterance since being elected to the Legislative Council as repre sentative of the Mainland when he comnlimented Kainantu on its fine effort.

Mr. Harold Hindwood, MAL chief, and energetic Lae representative of the Race Committee, summed up the visitors’ enjoyment of the day by stating that he could fill his four DC3’s from the coast any time Kainantu cared to stage another meeting. t The £10,000,000 hydro-electric project at Yate River, New Cale donia, claimed its first victim in September when a Tahitian worker fell some 20 feet, and was killed instantly. He was from Rairoa (Tuamoitu), aged 40, and married.