58 The Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire Hunt. 



POINT-TO-POINT RAGES. 



Point-to-point races form a popular institution with nearly every 

 recognised Hunt in the kingdom, and in Renfrewshire a meeting was held 

 as far back as 1865, or even earlier. Some of the oldest inhabitants in the 

 Houston district can recall the time when the course had its starting point 

 near Cleaves and the riders wore racing colours. Reasons cropped up at 

 various times why the races did not continue as a permanent annual 

 gathering, and there were several years when the fixture was cancelled. 

 Something like twenty-five years ago the races appeared to become in- 

 creasingly popular until people of all classes turned out in their thousands, 

 and the meeting is now eagerly looked forward to. In recent times the 

 venue has been transferred to the Caldwell and Hartfield districts, but with 

 these exceptions the course has been invariably over a part of the country 

 in the Houston locality. As a consequence, the meeting has come to be 

 familiarly known as " Houston Races." Mr. John A. Holms was an inde- 

 fatigable honorary secretary from 1904 to 1914, and since the races were 

 re-established in 1920, after the war, the duties have been ably discharged 

 by Mr. Allan Connell of Johnstone Castle. Mr. Alexander King of 

 Houston has acted as clerk of the scales from 1886 to the present day — a 

 remarkable record. 



The meeting under similar conditions as at present existing was 

 revived in 1886, when two events were arranged, the course being a real 

 point-to-point from Botherickfield to Barmore (near Drums) and back, 

 to finish at the place of starting — roughly about six miles. The light-weight 

 race was won by Mr. Richard M'Farlane, with Mr. John Cross second, 

 and Major Andrew Coats third. Mr. Adam P. Cross won the heavy-weight 

 race after a great finish with Mr. George Coats. In the following year 

 Mr. T. G. Arthur won the light-weight race with his famous horse Dickory, 

 and that for the heavy-weights went to Mr. George Coats on Quiver, 

 which he had bought specially from the well-known Captain Dewhurst. 



In 1889 Mr. David W. Shaw was to the fore on Brevity in the light 

 weights, and Mr. R. G. Allan won the heavy-weight race on Mumper. 

 The course then had its starting point just above Houston Kennels and also 

 finished near here, the distance twice round by Wraes and Drums being 

 about 4^ miles. It may here be explained that a meeting had been 



