Sideline Sid Sports correspondent & historian www.sunlive.co.nz

Last Saturday's race meeting at the Gate Pa course in Tauranga was a testament to the course manager who presented a track that completed a full card of racing, on a day which only ducks could enjoy.

While this sport and racing fan caught the early action at the Racing Tauranga meeting on Trackside TV, he was one of hardy rugby fans who braved the elements to watch Tauranga Sports scramble to victory over Rotoiti, at the Tauranga Domain.

In decades past, the extremely heavy track would have seen the annual winter meeting abandoned.

However, the excellent grandstand facilities at the Tauranga course provided plenty of comfort for the hardy racing fans, who took part in the Punter of the Year competition.

The main stand at Gate Pa has had a number of upgrades over the years to provide several lounges that present comfortable and warm facilities in inclement weather and glass enclosed viewing of the racing action.

The continued on-course improvements are in contrast to some of the other mid0-north island thoroughbred racing establishments.

Cold and bleak stands provide little incentive for punters to watch the action on-course.

Trackside Television and TAB on-line betting accounts give a day of punting from the comfort of one's lounge chair.

Racing in Tauranga dates back nearly 150 years. In November 1872, the local daily paper reported a meeting of gentlemen held in the Tauranga Hotel to appoint Stewards and organise details for a racemeeting.

A reported remark that the proposed racemeeting would crown all other and that the balance sheet showed a surplus of nineteen pounds, four and sixpence, indicated that earlier race meetings had been held in Tauranga.

The first meeting at the Gate Pa course was held on January 8, 1874. Horses, Courses and Men by former Tauranga resident GK Prebble, tells us something about the early days of racing in the Western Bay of Plenty.

To complement the more dignified gatherings at Gate Pa, picnic meetings became the order of the day.

Unhampered by the rules and regulations of today, there were joyful times with bookmakers calling the odds to receptive audiences.

With their inherent fascination for gambling and excitement, the local Maori found pleasure and exhilaration in the thunder of hooves at the picnic meetings.

The Waikareao Estuary became the venue for annual Christmas racing and with its playground of beaches and tidal water, provided a stunning background to spectacular racing.

The meeting which was organised by the Judea Maori was a grand and colourful affair with a happy holiday atmosphere.

The course started at the Otumoetai end and proceeded in a half-moon shape behind Motupae Island to finish at the saleyard end below the Judea Pa.

Alongside was the track for hurdle races featuring a series of solid ti-tree spars up to four feet.

In spite of the trials to be encountered, many horses came over from the Waikato for this meeting.

It was before the days of a road over the Kaimai's and the horses were ridden and led over a narrow path near the vicinity of the present road.

At the lookout near the summit the track hewn from solid rock was narrow and treacherous. Riders dismounted and led their horses with the risks of the track regarded as greater than many to be encountered at the races.

While last Saturdays meeting at the Gate Pa course was a far cry from the early days of horseracing in Tauranga, one thing that has never changed, is the thrill when the punters choice is first past the post.