Back to One of two 9th Lancers albums of photos and sketches `Records of the Gujerat Cup for Pig-Sticking' c1885-1932
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| Accession number | 912L : 2090/23 |
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THE GUZERAT CUP , 1886 . The meet was held this year in the same locality as last year , viz . , at the Null , or Chota Runn of Gazerat . When competitors had turned in camp at the village of Sial on the evening of pril 22ud there were twelve all told . Some had ridden through the heat of the day from Ahmed Deesa and the rest had ridden in from Wadhwan abad , a distance of forty miles . One had come from and Limri . Two Cups were offered for competi tion - the Guzerat Cup , value Rs . 1,000 , sub scribed for by the sportsmen of Guzerat , and the Salmon Cup for Ponies , presented by Captain M. B. Salmon . It is somewhat surprising , looking at the numbers that went for the Kadir Cup this year , how few men came forward to try and win prizes like these . It is remarkable when so many keep polo ponies that they don't have a cut in , for the Salmon Cup at any rate , even if they don't think it is worth while buyinga horse for the bigger event . The conditions of the Guzerat Cup , as regards tries , were different this year from last , and mark a departure from the rules of the Bheema and other Cups in this respect . The new rule may be summed up in these few words " the man enters and not his horses . " Each competitor had two chances , and could ride any of his own horses that he liked in any of the heats . The rule worked out very well , as will be geen by the account of the running of the heats given hereafter . The change was proposed at last year's meet , and the object was to give a man who only owned one good hunter as nearly as possible an equal chance with a man lucky enough to possess two or three . The latter , how ever , would of course always have some advan tage over the former , through having another good horse to fall back upon in the event of one being lamed . The camp was laid out in a grove of trees , and every comfort has been provided by Dr. Tully , the honorary secretary , who had been much assisted in the loan of tents by the Thakore Saheb of Limri . This latter gentleman subscribed and entered , but he only appeared as a spectator this year . We believe he proposes to join in the chase radiated off the tall dry grass aud reeds , and made next year . The weather was intensely hot , the heat the air so scorching that it was almost unendu rable in the middle of the day even with kuskus tatties and cooling drinks , for there was plenty of ice in camp , though not of the best quality , from the Ahmedabad factory . In fact the ice was dis gracefully bad from a patent factory . Lalla , the shikary , lent by the Ahmedabad Hunt for the occasion , had reported any number of boars in the Nuil , and this we expected , judging from experience in past years ; but we were much disappointed . Pigs were so scarce that we only roun just enough to on one heats . And for this reason , added to its being a very rough country to ride over , it is to be hoped the Cups The following list gives the heats as they were will be run off somewhere else next year . drawn for the Guzerat Cup : FIRST HEAT . Captain Marriott's g a h Blanco , Owner . Mr. Littleton's b a h Rocketer , Owner . Mr. Cardew's b a h 103 , Owner .. Mr. Langley's b a h Akbar , Owner - Winner . Umpire - Mr . White . A sounder of hog had sneaked out of the grass and been marked down in a thick cactus hedge . They were driven out and the riders sent off to a good start after a nice boar . Mr. Langley shot out , and in about two hundred yards made a lunge and thought he had missed . But the umpire had a notion otherwise , and requested him to look at his spear , when blood was found on it . Mr. Littleton and the umpire then went for the boar and had a good time of it , for he was one of the real Null fighting boars and gave great sport . SECOND HEAT . Cardew's b a h Owner . Mr. N. S. Symons's b a gal Ishmael , Owner - Winner . Dr. Tully's ch a h Beauty , Owner . Mr. Askwith's b w g Hell Fire , Owner . single snipe of any sort . FOURTH HEAT . Mr. Gonne's g ah Sohail , Owner . The Thakore of Limri's - Scratched . Mr. N. S. Symons ' g a h Woodpigeon , Owner . Capt . Salmon's g a h Shahbaz , Owner - Winner . Umpire - Dr . Tully . After spending some three hours beating out the grass without finding anything but squeakers , the Umpire found a boar lying down . Dr. Tully rode forward to put him up , and the animal came slap out at him , charging and chevying him . The boar after that trotted and walked sulkily away and he was allowed to do so for a couple of hundred yards . On hearing the order to ride Captain Salmon and boar . Mr. Symons made a neck and neck race of it . The some Arab horse Shahbaz , won the Cup , and all boar ran through a gap in a hedge and turned agreed that it was won by one of the best sports sharp through a cactus hedge on the right . men in Guzerat . The toasts that night after Captain Salmon being on the right jumped the dinner testified to the popularity of the winner . fence boldly , and thereby gained an advantage We now give the Pony ueats : which was not afterwards wrested from him . When the boar was being killed he charged well Mr. Marriott's g a p Multum in Parvo , Owner - Winner . Mr. Askwith's br cb p Spider , Owner . and once got home , biting Captain Salmon severely Mr. Gonne's g a p Titwillow , Owner . in the foot . A boar got up in heavy grass and ran under heard or not attended to , for it turned out to be tulate . We also saw a few grey quail , but not a Antelope appear to be the Umpire's horse , upsetting his nerves , and his the speared boar . rider was only able to give the order to ride with as numerous there as ever , but are wild , probably his back to the competitors . Under the circum owing to the large number of sepoys on the Salt stances it was a middling start , but Mr. Askwith and Opium Customs boundary . This is also , had the best of it , and after a short run he had a perhaps , the reason why pigs are now so much Umpire - Colonel Hancock . good opportunity of taking the spear . He did more scarce than they were when the country was not do so and the boar turned sharp back , when After spending half the morning in the sea of discovered four years ago by Mr. Macdonald grass looking for the shikary and his beaters , Ritchie and two of his Bombay friends . At that Captain Marriott cut in and just managed to spear and after spending the rest of the morning up to time pigs were seen in scores and scores , and at near thing . heavily before Mr. White . It was thought a very 12 o'clock vainly looking for pigs , one was driven their first meet they were easily able to kill six or out of some high green reeds , and started away over eight in a few hours ' hunting . We belive there are very heavy ground , but also very open and only short something like 1,200 sepoys , all armed with rifles , grass . A tremendous set to commenced between along the line there to prevent smuggling , and the two competitors . When after they had gone there is a pucka built house every mile . As these some distance and botin horses were a bit pumped , houses are exactly along the edge of the Null , the Akbar put his feet into a grip and turned a sum- pigs must get disturbed and scared by the patrols mersault . He was then leading and close to the at night , even if the men don't shoot the pigs , pig , and some of the spectators thought if Mr. and on that point we have grave doubts . Anyhow , Langley had managed to hold on to his horse's it is our firm conviction the Null as a pigsticking reins , he might still have got the spear and the country is played out for the time being . Cup , but Akbar broke away , and Captain Salmon with a pumped out horse had to ride another mile before he caught and speared this speedy And so Captain M. B. Salmon , on his hand FIRST HEAT . Umpire - Mr . Symons . THIRD HEAT . Mr. Askwith's b a h Hell Fire , Owner . Captain Marriott's g a h Blanco , Owner - Winner . Mr. White's ch a h Multum in Parvo , Owner . Mr. Langley's b a h Akbar , Owner . Umpire - Mr . Symons . FIFTH HEAT . Col. Hancock's b a h Dandy , Owner - Winner . Thakore of Limri's Scratched . Captain Salmon's g a h Shahbaz , Owner . Mr. Gonne's g a h Sohail , Owner . Umpire - Dr . Tully . While Mr. Littleton and Mr. White were having their great fight with the boar of Heat 1 the re mainder of the sounder was seen sneaking over the open . They were caught up after a longish gallop , and the heat sent off to a fair start . Captain Salmon made the running with Colonel Hancock close up , and Mr. Gonne also near ; the pig jinked , which Colonel Hancock immediately took advantage of and speared , followed a second the pig and killed him .. later by Mr. Gonne , who drove his spear through S SIXTH HEAT . Dr. Tully's ch a h Beauty , Owner . Mr. White's b w gel Benedict , Owner . Mr. Littleton's b a gal Bantam , Owner - Winner . Col. Hancock's b ah Dandy , Owner . Umpire - Capt . Salmon . A large sounder of hog had been marked down in a bush on an open plain . They were turned out , and the umpire select the largest boar and gave ad eather , as the competitors were galloping after the umpire , Beauty , pulling and stargazing , put his fore feet into a grip and turned a summer sault , th rowing Dr. Tully heavily , and in fact as nearly as possible breaking Dr. Tully's neck ; this quite incapacitated our genial hon . secretary from doing anything but keep his bed for the rest of the time . However , although very severely The other three men had a great race after the shaken , he is doing well , we are pleased to hear . boar , Mr. White leading , and he had a try at and touched the boar or its bristles , and Mr. Littleton speared in the next stride . Mr. White could not show blood on his spear and so Mr. Littleton got it as the pig was not bleeding from more than one wound . The second ties were drawn as follows : FIRST HEAT . Captain Salmon's g a h Shahbaz , Owner - Winner . Captain Marriott's g a h Blanco , Owner . Mr. Littleton's b a gal Bantam , Owner . Umpire - Mr . White . A fair sized pig was bustled out of the hedges , and seeing the men were not together the umpire called them back . Mr. Littleton and Captain Marriott came back behind the umpire , while Captain Salmon of a hedge with the boar in front of him . The was about fifty yards on the left on the other side umpire thinking his men were in line gave the order to ride , and as the pig turned towards Captain Salmon caught the pig in about a hundred Captain Salmon the others had but little chance . yards and speared . Umpire - Col . Hancock . SECOND HEAT . Mr. N. S. Symons's b a gal Ishmael , Owner . Colonel Hancock's b a h Dandy , Owner . After a very long and wearisome beat through to the hoof marks made by buffaloes in the wet the grass , which was most trying to horses owing season , a small sounder of very small pigs broke over the maidan and separated . A sharp canter after the squeakers and no start , when the Umpire turned round having heard a tally - ho behind , and all four competitors followed . Another canter , and the order was given to ride after a pig in the distance . Mr. Cardew and Mr. Askwith did not see the pig , and thus got This was also a heat in which chance partially the worst of the predominated . Whilst the previous heat was being start , they were never able to make it run off , the riders of this heat being also mounted , a pig was seen crossing a country road , and after Mr. Langley's bah Akbar , Owner , -Winner . Umpire - Mr . Askwith . and were thus unfortunately out of the race . Beauty went off with a bonnce , and Ishmael followed close up . Dr. Tully had made one or two lunges at the pig when Ishmael got up and speared , having challenged Dr. Tully to show blood . Dr. Tully unfortunately went on and speared the wounded pig again , and as this was a breach of the rules , especially after his spear had been challenged , the Umpire gave the spear to Ishmael's rider . FINAL HEAT . Captain Salmon's g a h Shahbaz , Owner - Winner . Mr. Langley's b ah Akbar , Owner . the pig was first seen that it was speared by the Mr. Langley that Colonel Hancock was either not other party , and it was perhaps fortunate for This heat was started after a sounder of about 16 pigs , the umpire having ordered his men to ride the leading boar which was larger than the others . This was one of the prettiest gallops of the whole meeting , the country was level and over nice riding ground , the boar was very fast and was a good jinker . Mr. Askwith took the lead and raced away at a great pace , Captain Marriott second on the right , and Mr. Gonne at that period in the rear unable to go the pace . After a sharp run the boar turned towards Captain Marriott , who had a good try leaning over his horse's neck in his effort , and then the boar ran in Mr. Gonne's direction , this latter gentleman's pouy was slow and Mr. Askwith again cut in and there was a good deal of doubling and twisting , Mr. Askwith and Captain Marriott both trying their very hardest . Captain Marriott's pony was quicker in turning , and he eventually got the spear . but SECOND HEAT . Owner . Mr. Littleton's b cb p Sina Mr. Beaman's g cb p Fi Fi . Owner . Capt . Salmon's g cb p Tongarino , Owner - Winner . Umpire - Colonel Hancock . We went into the big Null for this heat and beat for miles and miles without seeing anything , weakers , Arer three he except two or three sq of this work Mr. Beaman thought he had seen enough of it and scratched his pony , returning to camp . Direct y he had turned his back a nice boar broke . Sindee had the legs altogether of Tongarino , but the latter nevertheless got the spear , the boar and ponies having cut the figure of eight about sixteen times in the grass to the great amusement and excitement of the spectators . THIRD HEAT . Mr. Langley's g p Zephyr , Owner . Mr. Cardew's dun cb p Sergeant Major , Owner . Dr. Tully's ch p Rufus , Col. Hancock - Winner , Umpire - Captain Salmon . The lot were despatched to a good start over nice level open ground . The Colonel raced Dr. Tully's pony from the start and won handsomely , turning his pig clean over with his spear . It was a great pity Captain Marriott did not run , for his pony is a good one and very handy , and in our opinion he would have had a good look in for the Cup . The issue , therefore , lay between a big fast pony with a light weight and a little slow pony with a heavy weight , comparatively on his back . Rufus simply ran away from the other thirteen hands animal , and Colonel Hancock won the Cup hands down for Dr Tully . The heat was so great and pigs were so scarce that we broke up the camp on the evening of the third day , and all wended our way homewards , some five of us trying to kill a good boar or two en route at Baola , twenty miles from Ahmedabad . But there , too , we found chiefly squeakers and gave up after one morning's hunting . We have only a few notes to add . We have to thank Dr. Tully for all the trouble he took for every one's comfort , and we have to thank that good sports man , the Thakore Saheb of Limree , for his help . All those new to the Null were much struck it a gallop over one or two fences the three were sent off to a level start over a lot of cattle furrows with the numbers of red locusts that rose in and holes . Mr. Langley went as hard as he could the grass as the beaters advanced . It was very and got up to his pig at the side of a hedge which pretty to see the kites and hawks catching the pig wanted to get through , but couldn't , them , and this was especially so with the smallest because he was dead lame in one leg , so Mr. of all kites , a bird that is no larger than the com Langley gave him a good spear . It was a very mon swift . We also saw a great many likh , a short run . Colonel Hancock had called out when fair number of duck and teal , and an immense number of pelicans and storks and all sorts of waders and water birds too numerous to recapi FINAL HEAT . Captain Marriott's g a p . Multum in Parvo , Owner Scratched . Captain Salmon's g ch p Tongarino , Owner . Dr. Tully's ch p Rufus , Col. Hancock , winner . |
