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The Club’s first starter at Addington was Mr C O’Connor who remained in the position from the inaugural Meeting until 1902 when Mr H Reynolds was appointed.

It was reported in the NZ REFEREE of 19th November 1902 that the starting had shown distinct improvements since the appointment of Mr Reynolds who effected hie despatches by means of a new clock invented by himself. The machine consisted of a large open faced dial with numbers going up to forty seconds marked in large figures round its edge. A single hand moved around as soon as the first horse started and as it came round to each competitor’s mark an electric bell rang. This enabled drivers to gauge the length of their wait and was a big improvement on previous methods. Mr Reynolds retired from the position as starter in 1914 having had a long connection with the sport and his integrity and zeal were unquestionable.

In 1914 mr J H Tompkins was appointed starter and in the REFEREE of 11th February 1914 reference was made to his appointment and said that he had acted as assistant to Mr Reynolds on several o the Canterbury Courses and was well qualified to fill theposition although it was considered by no means a easy as some of the Official’s critics seemed to imagine.

It was reported in the REFEREE on 18th February 1914 that an experiment was adopted by the Club in having the Stewards Handicap handicapped and started by distance instead of time, as had been the practice for many years. The experiment was by no means a new one for in the early days of the sport in Christchurch the distance system was in general use but was discontinued in favour of the time handicap. There was a good deal of controversy over the starting question and it had been recognized at Addington at least, that the fields were getting out of hand particularly in the cases of some of the fastest mile classes with a limit of three seconds. It was pointed out that the start by distance in such cases would tend to give better results and afford more protection for the public as the moving up start, with the time system, gave opportunity for serious abuse. It was further reported that the racing generally was full of interest at this time although one or two of the events were won with comparative ease and Mr Tompkins, the Club’s newly appointed starter, had made a successful debut although he had had some difficult fields to handle.

In the latter part of 1916 there came a demand for a starting machine that would enable fields to be properly controlled and dispatched. Mr M Higgins, a North Island inventor, andis business representative, gave a demonstation of his patented starting machine. It was reported that it was as effective as it was simple and consisted of a wire running on pulleys along either the inside or the outside rail of the running track held at the starting post by a lever and attached with a strong spring fixed to the rear of the limit handicap mark. At each handicap mark a pin attached by a clip to the wire held a single strand barrier to a brass lock fixed to the rail. The barrier consisted of rubber and cord attached to the opposite rail and when the horses were facing their respective barriers the starter released the lever and the tension of the spring drew the wire rapidly along the rail instantaneously releasing all the barriers which flew as on to the opposite side. Mr H Reynolds, for many years the Club’s starter, also invented a device for starting races by the yard system and Mr Reynolds’ method was very simple merely consisting of twine stretched across the course and joined in such a fashion that when the horses moved forward it was broken. If a horse moved forward before the signal was given an electric bell rang signifying the horse had moved forward before the signal to start was given.

The NZMTC decided to use Mr Reynolds’ starting device at its Spring Meeting following the favourable impression created by this system when it was used for standing starts over a mile at the August Meeting. The results of the starting at the Spring Meeting were not as satisfactory as had been anticipated as it appeared that few of the trainers considered it worth their while to educate their horses to the standing start. It was considered that some improvements to the apparatus were necessary as the horses carried along pieces of twine with them throughout the races.

Following the August Meeting Mr Tompkins’ services were dispensed with and Mr W Black was appointed to act as starter at the Club’s November Meeting in 1917.

It was reported in December 1917 that Mr H Reynolds, who was on leave from camp, dispatched the fields at the New Brighton, Ashburton and Canterbury Park Meetings.

In August 1918 Mr W Norman, the well-known Southland starter, made his first appearance in an official capacity and his method of starting the races was watched with interest. Mr Norman was mounted on horseback with two mounted assistants who marshaled his field some distance from the starting post and then walked them up to within a few lengths of the clock befor they were sent on their journey. Starting under the seconds system during the three days was of a very high order under Mr Norman and his work left no grounds for criticism. There were various happenings during the Meeting that brought into prominence the arguments that can justly be argued against the starting clock system as it failed on ne or two occasions, putting horses at a disadvantage.

In December 1919 the Stipendary Stewards reported strongly in condemning the time system of starting and suggested that the method was neither fair to the owners, riders, drivers nor public. The Stipendary Stewards said that the system was not fair to Mr Norman and his assistants who tried their best to secure even starts but could not perform miracles as the system offered a premium to competitors who anticipated the bell. Mr Norman continued as the Club’s starter until 1926 when Mr A J Hastings was appointed.


Credit: NZMTC: Historical Notes compiled by D C Parker

Appendix No. Six: STARTERS

1899-1902 C O’Connor

1902-14 H Reynolds

1914-17 J H Tompkins

1917-18 W Black

1918-26 W Norman

1926-51 A J Hastings

1951-80 R Carter

1980-2006 J P Mulcay

2006- P R Lamb