Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-03-29
THE FIELD.
HOW A CALIFORNIA CoURsING MATCH
IS CONDUCTED.
A Capital Days Coursing by the Capital
coursing Club-Yesterday's Racing.

spring meeting yesterday on Mlllers and on
Whitcomb's ranches, on the lower Stockton
road, some twelve miles from the city. The
heavy rain of the night previous made it
very doubtful whether or not the matches
could be run. With the advent of morning,
however, though the wind was raw and the
| sky very threatening, the best judgment was
that there would be no rain, and the Club
made start for the grounds. The "meet "
was fixed for A. NJ, but the nights storm
had made the roads heavy, and though early
gray dawn was the rule with those who re-
solved to go, it was impossible for complete
Assembly to be made before 10 A. NJ, at
which hour, despite the lowering clouds,
| there had gathered some three hundred per-
sons in not less than one hundred and fifty
vehicles from a barouche to two-wheeled
go-cart. At this time the sun came out
warm and bright, the storm clouds were
dispelled, the chilly wind was tempered to a
soft breeze, and nature smiled upon the scene.
| The fields, four in number, and embracing
about 4, 900 acres, were in admirable condi-
ton, with fresh strong turf and level
surface, permitting driving in any part of
the grounds with perfect ease. The start
was made at the northeasterly corner of
|
road It may here prove of interest to those
not well informed as to the methods of cours
ing, to state that the hounds are matched by
lot, the names on ballots being drawn from a
hat, and each couple drawn are considered
"pitted" On the field, the two dogs are
placed in the "slips" The "slips" consist
of two collars connected by catch attached
to hollow leathern strap, through which
runs a cord, the pulling of which releases the.
/ fcL aDd droylS collars from the uacl-S nj
the hounds. The person holding the pair
is called the ''Slipper." AL being ready, he
moves forward slowly over the field behind
him ride the stewards of the field, and on
either side of him, or near by, the judges.
! Behind the stewards come the spectators,
who must keep at least so feet to the
rear, and must move in compact
a body, and in as orderly lines as is
possible. AS the advancing column
moves on in silence, the looker-on must be
more than passive who does not feel thrill
of expectancy. "Where will the hare start
up? Will he be ia front? viii he spring
from a patch of furze on the left? VIII he
dash from a hillock shelter on the right%
Gradually the line lengthens out as each one
seeks position in front; the stewards press
| the TANKS back and demonstrate in under
tones with the too anxious ones. The slipper
turns his eyes front, right, left, everywhere.
Ol goes CIe COluLlI, anu Ou6 CduUOb IepTtSS
the feeling of anxiety, strive as he may. The |
dogs leading aud Juggling at the leash, their
ears up, their 1.-THE forms ready for the bound, |
the slipper with his hand on the cord, the |
judges ready to dash spurs into their horses |
sides, the stewards pressing the crowd back |
with commanding gestures, a hundred and |
fifty horses and buggies and three hundred |
men and women pressing forward and |
conversing in low, eager tones-all go to |
I, 20 SILL nS ,Yta
Suddenly there is cry, There she goes :"
A hare bounds up scarce sixty feet to the
front and nearly twice that distance to the !
right The slipper pulls the cord, the crowd |
cheers, the sleek hounds lay back their ears,
hug the ground, and side by side they dart
like a fash of light upon poor puss Instantly
the stewards cry Halt" and every specta
tor must then stand fast and watch the race
as best he can-and at this point opera glasses
after the hounds OF they follow the hare,
which turns right and left and doubles and
circles on its course until at last the fseter
pursuers pOunce upon it and it meets its
death The excellence of the running is not
determined by the success of a hound in !
making a "kil, but depends upon the
points made, and these are credited
according to the number of times a dog
turns or sweryes the hare from its
and lesser turn q half point, etc, and ii
also depends upon the manner in which the
dogs rum whether one "helps" another by
speedy faction and upon other things which
are quite too technical for explanation now.
The coursing yesterday was admirable, the
speed exceedingly fine, the hares plenty and
requiring only few hundred yards travel
before discovery, and no ''run" was at any
time out of sight of the spectators, and no
course exceeded half or three-quarters of a
mile before "a kill was made.
The President being absent until IL A. NJ,
Robert Allen, Vice. President, acted. In
cases where MIR. Allen, who was also a judge, |
was interested, Mr.. Harris and Mr.. Beals
acted. At II o'clock A. Manning, President |
of the Club, arrived and took charge. A. S. |
Woods Secretary; Joseph Powers, Robert |
Allen, L. Jones, Judges; z. Kelly and Rob-
ert 0. Mullane, Slippers, and the regular
| field stewards of the Club managed the cours
ing and conducted it in a way which secured
success and made the occasion an orderly and
enjoyable one. There was the usual amount
| of grumbling by dissatisfied and uninterested
people, but the judges were firm and the
rulings positive, and despite the loud talk
now and then the matches were run off in
such a manner as to lead old sportsmen to the
verdict that it was the finest days coursing
ever had in the country. The matches were
as follows;
Thomas Yates BID. b. Lena, and L. AL
lens BID. b. Fannie. A long run, and puss
chased into a culvert Race to Fannie.
p, Lymans BID. b. Mission Girl, and M.
HaDrahan's f. d. Bradley. Race to Bradley,
and "a kill.
Z. T. Williams ms. bd. b. Pride of the
CANYON, and E. Aliens BID. d. Fritz. The
latter made the kill and went over four
foot fence in a splendid leap that drew cheers,
whereas Pride baked at the fence, but hav-
ing made the most points the race was given
| to her.
Bolivar, her match Tunstead's Marin for
feiting. The pup was not able to help Susie
much. She won in handsome run and a
quick capture of the hare
RIO. Mullane's rd ". d. Boss Tweed and
j. Jouhin's n. b. Mollie McCarty, OF Elk
Grove. The latter won. A splendid con-
test.
WIN. Shaw's blk. d. Ben Tourney and H.
Z. Green's ms. W. d. Spotted Fail Ben won
in sharp race.
VIM. Meharry's ms. BID. b. Lady Emmett
and NJ. A Howard's ms. d. Gaifney. EN-
met won, making very fine run, and Gaff-
ney doing excellent coursing also.
James Adams bk. W. d. Ruler and J.
Hennessey's b. d. Frank. In this course
both dogs took fence at flying leap that
was worth the trip to see. Ruler won.
! a. manning bh W. IL l-Oui5Ou anu MAUI
Keenan's f. b. Rose. A quick kill, even
points, and declared no race. A second trial
resulted in a bad slip. One dog did not see
the hare and it was declared no race. Rose
made the kills.
A. S. Woods Blk. b. Kittie and f. Fl.
| Miller's MS f. b. Mollie McCsrty, of Sacra-
mento. Kittie had worthy contestant, and
ran behind until she got her second wind,
when she took the lead, turned the hare here
and there, and at last killed puss handsomely
and won the race.
T. Tunstead's 3D. d. Tamalpais FORGETTING
as against D. Marooney's Fleet. The latter
ran q bye with Lena, and was given the
credit for the race. Lena made the kill.
Both ran finely, and had hot chase for the
hare.
Lunch time at hand, general production
of lunch baskets took place, and after half
hours picnicking the officers called up the
dogs wilmington in number-to run OF the
contests and determine to which the four
prizes should be awarded. The witness were,
in the order of their victories, paired and run
IS follows:
Fannie and Bradley, and the latter Won.
Pride of the Canyon and Susie, and the
| former won.
Mollie of Ell. Grove and Tourney, and the
! lstter won.
Enp,et aud Ruler and tha latta- won En-