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CLUB HISTORY

CANTERBURY PARK TROTTING CLUB

CPTC
The Club arranged a motgage of £1,400 and the committee gave consideration to selling some of the property.

A change of rules of the Club was made to provide for the bracketing of horses produced by the one trainer.

Credit: CPTC: Centennial History

CANTERBURY PARK TROTTING CLUB

CPTC
The Club ran into difficult times and reduced the stakes for the main races from £120 to £60.

Credit: CPTC: Centennial History

CANTERBURY PARK TROTTING CLUB

CPTC
Stakes of £598/10/- were paid for a two-day meeting on March 10 & 15, with prizes from £25 to £60 for each event.

Credit: CPTC: CentennialHistory

CPTC
A two-day Meeting was held on November 2 & 8 with stakes of £80 & £90 for the main races. The total stakes were £767/2/6. Nomination and acceptances amounted to £314/12/6 and gate receipts were £216/5/6. The Club received £610/10/5 from the totalisator and paid £107/17/7 by way of totalisator tax.

Credit: CPTC: Centennial History

THE BEGINNINGS

The New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club conducted its inaugural meeting at the Addington Racecourse, now known as Addington Raceway, on Monday 6th November, 1899.

On Tuesday 22nd June of that year a resolution by the Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club that the name of the newly formed Club be changed from the Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club to the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club to mark the beginning of a new era in Trotting.

A newspaper report of 16th April, 1886 stated that several leading sportsmen, Mr H P Lance prominent amongst them, agreed to band together to conduct Trotting Meetings at Lancaster Park in an endeavour to finance their new ground, that is Lancaster Park, for cricket. The locality was handy to town and supplied an attraction for sporting men who were at a loss on Saturday afternoons. The first Meeting was advertised to be held on Saturday 15th May, 1886 and the programme contained five races, three in saddle and two in harness, with added stakes totaling 125 sovereigns. A journalist, who inspected the grounds and facilities stated “a good course has been staked off round the grass, and with a little alteration in the fencing to the west of the grandstand a tolerably commodious saddling paddock will be adequate for the comfort of officials, jockeys, etc and altogether the facilities for the comfort of visitors will be up to the average.”

The track was a third of a mile in length or under three furlongs (600 Metres).

The inaugural meeting was not held on the day set down as there were two postponements. The first postponement was due to heavy floods in Christchurch, the Avon River having risen four feet and Ferry Road, near Lancaster Park, being one sheet of water. The second postponement was due to the death of Mr H P Lance who was a devotee of racing, one of the founders and a Steward of Lancaster Park Trotting Club. The Meeting was finally held on Saturday 29th May, 1886 when there was an attendance of over 1,100 and reports state that the arrangements made for the Meeting were excellent. £38 was taken at the gate. £1,512 was invested on the Totalisator run by Hobbs & Goodwin. The advertised Officers of the Club for the first Meeting were: Judge, Mr H P Lance, but he was replaced following his death by Mr Justice Johnson; Starter, C A Calvert; Clerk of the Course, A M Ollivier; Handicapper, B J Hale; Secretary, C J Penfold; and the Stewards, Dr H H Prins, F Cotton, J B Gresson, F Jones, H P Lance, A E G Rhodes, A Cracroft-Wilson and C H Williams.

The principal event was the Lancaster Park Time Trot of three miles in saddle. The first prize was 40 sovereigns and the result was:

1st: B Edwards “Fidget” 50 seconds Rider: Owner

2nd: D O’Brien’s “Erin” 45 second Rider: Owner

3rd: P Howard’s “Malvena” 50 seconds Rider: A J Keith

Time was 9 minutes and the dividend paid on the Totalisator was £12/3/-. The Addington Workshops Band provided a musical programme.

The Lancaster Park Trotting Club conducted seven Meetings in its first season between 29th May 1886 and 27th June 1887.

In January 1888 the Canterbury Trotting Club was formed and conducted its Meetings at the new A & P Showground at Addington. This Club later amalgamated with the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club. The original Metropolitan Secretary, Mr A I Rattray, was also Secretary of the Canterbury Trotting Club.

Most Clubs racing at this time were proprietary Clubs with the operating profits going to the promoters.

In 1888 there was a move by the Lancaster Park Cricket Company for the Trotting Club to assume a separate identity from the Cricket Company, to pay a rental for the use of the grounds and become a Club whose sole aim was the promotion of Trotting. The shareholders of the Cricket Company ceased to have any say in the management and in 1890 the Club was controlled entirely by Trotting enthusiasts. In that year (1890) the principal Officials of the Club were: Stewards, D Barnes, C Louisson, V Harris, G McHaffie, J Perkins and L Wilson; the Starter was C O’Connor and the Secretary, A I Rattray.

The new regime operated as a proprietary Club until March 1892 when the Cricket Company decided not to allow a proprietary Club the use of Lancaster Park for Trotting after the expiry of the existing arrangements. If Trotting was to continue at the Park the Company ruled it must be conducted by an amateur Club that would direct the profit towards stakes rather than towards the income of a few shareholders.

In October 1892 it was reported that the following proprietary Clubs were operating:

Lancaster Park Trotting Club racing at Lancaster Park

Plumpton Park Trotting Club racing at Sockburn

Lower Heathcote Racing and Trotting Club racing at Heathcote

New Brighton Racing Club racing at New Brighton

Matters came to a head in July 1893 when a strong new Club was formed and an application made to the Lancaster Park Ground Company for the use of the Park for four days per year at a rental of £40 per day. The Committee of the old Lancaster Park Trotting Club was very upset at being ousted and obtained a lease of Sydenham Park. To add to the confusion both Clubs applied to race on Friday, 10th November 1893. After much lobbying, approaches to the Colonial Secretary and the presentation of a petition to him the new Club was granted a Totalisator Permit by the Government just prior to the inaugural meeting on Friday, 10th November, 1893. The Club adopted the title of “Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club”. A newspaper report dated 28th December, 1893 stated that the old Lancaster Park Trotting Club had ceased to race. This was the beginning of the end of the proprietary Clubs. In August 1894 there was a protest meeting held to block the old Club racing four days a year at Sydenham Park. This protest was upheld and the old Club then approached the Lancaster Park Sports Committee and, it appeared, without success as the Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club was credited with racing at the Park.

In February 1898 it was reported that the Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club and the Canterbury Trotting Club had each appointed sub-committees to meet and discuss the purchase of suitable land adjacent to Christchurch for the establishment of a Trotting track with facilities but the joint committee did not meet with any success. In July1898 the Lancaster Park Ground Company acquired more land and signified it was agreeable to the track being extended to a half mile if the Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club would take up a five year tenancy. At the Annual General Meeting of the Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club held on 15th August, 1898, a Committeeman stated that more effort should be made by the joint sub-committee to find a new ground and that if they continued to be unsuccessful then the Club should enter into an agreement with the Lancaster Park Ground Committee. The Deans property at Riccarton had been explored as a possibility. It was advocated at the time that Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club and Canterbury Trotting Club should join forces provided there was no reduction in total permits now held by the two Clubs (Lancaster Park 4, Canterbury 6).

At a meeting of the Committee of the Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club held on 9th May, 1899 consideration was given to the purchase of 35 acres of the Twigger’s estate adjoining the Canterbury A & P Association Showgrounds at Addington for the purpose of preparing a Trotting track with facilities. The Trustees of the property, however, declined to sell for Trotting purposes but subsequently put it up to auction and a 21 year lease was knocked down to the President of the Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club at a price below the amount that the Clubs were prepared to go. At a meeting of the Club held on 19th May, 1899 the President’s action in purchasing the lease was confirmed. This resolution inaugurated the major step which established Trotting at Addington on a sound basis.



Credit: NZMTC Historical Notes compiled by D C Parker

ADDINGTON TROTTING GROUNDS

Having decided, at a meeting of the Committee held on 22nd June, 1899, to proceed with the development of its own venue, the Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club completed a 21 year lease as from 1st June 1899 of 36 acres, one rood and 30 perches from the Charitable Aid Board, the beneficiary under the Twigger Estate. The Club changed its name and arranged for plans to be prepared for the provision of Stands and other necessary amenities.

Mr F J Barlow was appointed Architect on 22nd June 1899 and was instructed to submit plans for a track and buildings. Following the approval of the plans, a contract for fences and stables was let to Mr James Rowe at £580. A contract was also let for the building of a totalisator house, judge’s box and entrance gates. The laying of the track and improving Jacksons Creek for drainage purposes was left to the Architect to make the best arrangements possible.

A sub-committee was appointed to arrange with the Architect for the erection of seven bays of a Grandstand at a cost not to exceed £900. Money however, was a problem. But an anonymous offer was received to loan the Club £300 interest free for twelve months on condition that a Grandstand was erected immediately. It was subsequently learned that the anonymous offer, which was accepted, was made by the Club’s Secretary Mr A I Rattray. It was decided that half the stand be erected if it could be done for £1,150 and also that the necessary stabling and toilet facilities be completed at a cost of £65. At the same time a horse and dray were purchased together with the equipment required to maintain the track.

It was reported in the NEW ZEALAND REFEREE of 20th September that the Club’s new grounds wore a busy appearance as the contractor for the formation of the track had half a dozen horse teams at work excavating and filling and a considerable amount of soil was removed to make the track level. The totalisator house was a rather substantial building and was of an up-to-date character. As the foundations for a section of the Grandstand were laid and building materials were on the site, it was anticipated that the work would be completed in time for the proposed inaugural Meeting on 6th November 1899. It was realized that at least a season would be required to get the whole property in order and when this was done it would be hard to beat as a Trotting property.

A report by the correspondent “Spectator” in the NEW ZEALAND REFEREE of 25th October 1899 stated:

“I visited the new grounds and my first thought was of the new track. The entire width had been rolled no less than seven times with a three ton roller and was fairly solid considering the amount of filling necessary to bring it up to its required level. The turns had been banked and there would be a drop of nearly four feet from the top end of the track to the winning post. The new track is a full chain wide and five furlongs in length and the turns could be easily negotiated although the straight may seem rather short to some. I took the liberty of jogging my horse once round the track in something slower than a two minute gait and then had a look at the buildings and enclosures. The Totalisator house is built on such a scale that few Totalisator buildings in New Zealand are equal to it. Though it is situated well back from the Grandstand it should prove very convenient as it will be approachable by those inside and outside the paddock enclosure. A section of the Grandstand is completed to a stage where it will seat a large assemblage although it is far from finished. Boxes and stalls will be ready for use and picket and dividing fences finished. The grounds will have a bare appearance but the Club will keep on working and improving it and it will not be long before they can turn their property into one of the beauty spots of Canterbury”.

Credit: NZMTC: Historical Notes compiled by D C Parker

LANCASTER PARK TROTTING CLUB

At a meeting of the Committee of the Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club held on 9th May, 1899 consideration was given to the purchase of 35 acres of the Twigger’s estate adjoining the Canterbury A & P Association Showgrounds at Addington for the purpose of preparing a Trotting track with facilities. The Trustees of the property, however, declined to sell for Trotting purposes but subsequently put it up to auction and a 21 year lease was knocked down to the President of the Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club at a price below the amount that the Clubs were prepared to go. At a meeting of the Club held on 19th May, 1899 the President’s action in purchasing the lease was confirmed. This resolution inaugurated the major step which established Trotting at Addington on a sound basis.


Credit: NZMTC: Historical Notes compiled by D C Parker

LANCASTER PARK TROTTING CLUB

In February 1898 it was reported that the Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club and the Canterbury Trotting Club had each appointed sub-committees to meet and discuss the purchase of suitable land adjacent to Christchurch for the establishment of a Trotting track with facilities but the joint committee did not meet with any success. In July 1898 the Lancaster Park Ground Company acquired more land and signified it was agreeable to the track being extended to a half mile if the Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club would take up a five year tenancy. At the Annual General Meeting of the Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club held on 15th August, 1898, a Committeeman stated that more effort should be made by the joint sub-committee to find a new ground and that if they continued to be unsuccessful then the Club should enter into an agreement with the Lancaster Park Ground Committee. The Deans property at Riccarton had been explored as a possibility. It was advocated at the time that Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club and Canterbury Trotting Club should join forces provided there was no reduction in total permits now held by the two Clubs (Lancaster Park 4, Canterbury 6).


Credit: NZMTC: Historical Notes compiled by D C Parker

NEW BRIGHTON TROTTING CLUB

First record of the President of the New Brighton Trotting Club, Mr H McIllraith (President 1894-1904). However, from a comment in Bernie Wood's book "The Cup", it appears trotting may have taken place at New Brighton prior to this date. The New Brighton Trotting Club rented its course at New Brighton from Henry Mace, a studmaster at "Brooklyn".

LANCASTER PARK TROTTING CLUB

Matters came to a head in July 1893 when a strong new Club was formed and an application made to the Lancaster Park Ground Company for the use of the Park for four days per year at a rental of £40 per day. The Committee of the old Lancaster Park Trotting Club was very upset at being ousted and obtained a lease of Sydenham Park. To add to the confusion both Clubs applied to race on Friday, 10th November 1893. After much lobbying, approaches to the Colonial Secretary and the presentation of a petition to him the new Club was granted a Totalisator Permit by the Government just prior to the inaugural meeting on Friday, 10th November, 1893. The Club adopted the title of “Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club”. A newspaper report dated 28th December, 1893 stated that the old Lancaster Park Trotting Club had ceased to race. This was the beginning of the end of the proprietary Clubs. In August 1894 there was a protest meeting held to block the old Club racing four days a year at Sydenham Park. This protest was upheld and the old Club then approached the Lancaster Park Sports Committee and, it appeared, without success as the Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club was credited with racing at the Park.


Credit: NZMTC: Historical Notes compiled by D C Parker