#punchestown

[xxbloodyrainbowxx]

Avril Lavigne performing at the Oxegen Music Festival at Punchestown racecourse in County Kildare, Ireland in 2007.

[thesocialchronicles]

Irish challenger Spillane's Tower heads a field of 11 runners declared for the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day (14:30 GMT).The six-year-old, trained by Jimmy Mangan for owner JP McManus, was a dual winner at the top Grade One level last season and was added as a supplementary entry last week along with last year's fourth-placed finisher The Real Whacker and French contender Juntos Ganamos.Spillane's Tower, who will be ridden by Mark Walsh, was second to Fact to File on his return to action at Punchestown last month with double Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs in third.McManus also has the Emmett Mullins-trained Corbetts Cross, who will be ridden by amateur Derek O'Connor, in the race which is set to have its biggest field since 2009.The Dan Skelton-trained Grey Dawning - the Betfair Chase runner-up and a winner at last season's Cheltenham Festival - leads the British hopes while French challenger Il Est Francais is also strong in the betting market.The horse is trained in France by Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm and won the Kauto Star Novices' Chase over course and distance 12 months ago but was pulled up at Auteuil last time out.Last year's winner Hewick has not been declared and will instead run over hurdles at Leopardstown, although Joseph O'Brien's Banbridge and Henry de Bromhead's Envoi Allen, who will be ridden by Paul Townend and Rachael Blackmore respectively, will travel from Ireland.The 2022 winner Bravemansgame bids to regain his crown and provide trainer Paul Nicholls with a record-extending 14th victory in the race.The field is completed by L'Homme Presse, who makes his first appearance since finishing fourth in last season's Cheltenham Gold Cup for Venetia Williams.Meanwhile, former champion hurdler Constitution Hill could meet rising star Lossiemouth in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton (13:55 GMT).Constitution Hill has been off the track with a variety of issues since winning at Kempton 12 months ago but has been declared in a four-strong field. 2024-12-25 22:18:16 https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/branded_sport/1200/cpsprodpb/0673/live/c1350c20-bed7-11ef-b73c-311ce229ab28.jpg

[thehutpoint]

The Cavalry Journal Volume 8 1913

NO SURRENDER OATES’

By a Brother Officer.

Captain L. E. G. Oates was an officer whose death is an irreparable loss to the Cavalry—quiet and unassuming, fond of horses and of adventure, brave with a cool courage, which had been put to the proof time after time, earnestly keen on his profession, and a born leader., One of his most marked characteristics was the esteem in which he was held by the men of his regiment. He secured their admiration and confidence at the same time as he gained his soubriquet ‘No Surrender’ at the outset of his career, when a recruit on his way to join his regiment. This esteem was never lessened, and was fully justified by his every word and deed, from the time he joined to his death. He possessed an unusual combination of reticence and humour. Although a most modest man, his wit was audacious, and he had a great gift of humorous expression. It is believed that those who were with him in the Antarctic regarded this quality as one of his most valuable assets in the dreary circumstances which they necessarily encountered.

Captain Oates was the eldest son of the late Mr. W. E. Oates, of Gestingthorp Hall, on the borders of Essex and Suffolk. Mr. W. E. Oates was a well-known sportsman and big game shot, and from him and his uncle, Mr. Frank Oates, Captain Oates inhcrited his love of adventure.

He went to Eton (Mr. Rawlin’s House) in 1894, and left two years later, owing to a severe attack of pneumonia. During this short time he made some mark at both cricket and football.

He entered the army through the Militia and was posted to the Inniskilling Dragoons on May 30, 1900. He was sent out to South Africa with a draft of recruits a few months later; on arrival, instead of being sent on to join their regiment in the Transvaal, they were kept for some time in Cape Colony attached to the force under Colonel Parsons.

It was now that Oates distinguished himself on the occasion referred to above. Early in March, Aberdeen was invested by the Boers, and Parsons was sent to its relief. He forced his way into the place, and next day sent out three officer’s patrols. Oates was in charge of one of these with fifteen Inniskilling recruits. The following account of the gallant fight they made is taken from With the Inniskilling Dragoons in the Boer War, by Lieut.-Colonel J. W. Yardley :

‘Meantime the other Imperial Yeomanry patrol had been captured, whilst Lieut. Oates, with the Inniskilling patrol, was making a splendid fight in a river-bed about six miles out. Taking advantage of all cover, he directed each man, as he finished his ammunition, to creep back to the town with his rifle; several were seriously wounded, but managed to crawl away. In the end, after four hours’ fighting, only Oates himself remained; with one of the last shots fired by the enemy he was shot through the thigh, the bone being broken. Twice during the engagement, Scheepers, who was in command of the Boers, had sent a white flag demanding surrender, but on both occasions got the same reply—viz. ‘‘ that they were there to fight, not surrender.”” At one time the Boers got up to within twenty yards of the small party, but finally gave up the attempt to capture it, and did not secure a single rifle. It was not till 6.30 P.M. that Lieut. Oates was picked up by the ambulance under Captain White, which had been searching many hours for him, for he had lain wounded in the hot sun since 10 A.M.”

Oates was then invalided home for a short time, but was back again by the end of the year. After the war his regiment moved to Ireland, where his chief amusements were hunting and steeplechasing. He succeeded in winning the following amongst other races :

Military Cup, Dundalk, 1904, won by Gesting Thorp.

St. Stephen’s Plate, Leopardstown, 1904, won by Gabriel.

Irish Grand Military, Punchestown, 1905, won by Gabriel.

Grand Military Handicap, Sandown, 1907, won by Gabriel.

He was also very skilful at sailing a small four-tonner, and in his spare time he was never happier than in taking her out in rough weather.

After a year or two in Ireland Oates went on with his regiment to Egypt, being then Adjutant, and from there to Mhow, Central Indja. Here he showed good sport with a pack of hounds he had collected at home and hunted himself.

Whilst on manoeuvres near Delhi in January 1910 Oates read of Scott’s Preparations for the South Pole expedition. The idea appealed to him at once; he cabled and offered his services, as a Cavalry ofticer and master of hounds, to look after the ponies and dogs. Scott accepted him, and his services were lent by the War Office. Oates then returned to England, and spent his time before the expedition left in a thorough study of navigation. At this time his chief ambition was to be one of the five selected to make the supreme effort to reach the Pole. The remainder of his story, so far as is known at present, is soon told.

The small party under Scott was struggling back in face of stupendous difficulties after having succeeded in their mission. They were delayed by a blizzard, with their food supply running out. The only chance that the stronger members had of reaching safety lay in dashing on without delay the moment the blizzard ceased. Oates was very ill; weak, and with badly frost-bitten hands and feet, he was unable to travel without his comrades’ help. Captain Scott left the following record of his death, which took place on his thirty-second birthday, March 17, 1912: ‘He was a brave soul; he slept through the night hoping not to wake, but he awoke in the morning; it was blowing a blizzard. Oates said ‘I am just going outside, I may be some time.’ He went out into the blizzard and we have not seen him since. We knew that Oates was walking to his death, but though we tried to dissuade him, we knew that it was the act of a brave man’and an English gentleman.’

This act was typical of the young officer who eleven years previously had remained fighting, wounded and alone, whilst his men got back to safety near Aberdeen.

At first thought we cannot but question whether the end aimed at, the conquest of the South Pole, could ever be worth the loss of such a life as his, or of those he tried to save. But in his sacrifice, we, his fellow-countrymen and comrades, have gained an example which should endure for all time.

What courage and firmness may not weaker natures in future times of stress be able to borrow from his record, if those ‘ beset by hardship’ or in other difficulties decide on their line of action after asking themselves the simple question, What would Oates do if he were here in my place now?

Memorial text about Titus from The Cavalry Journal. Answerng the author's question: NO. It won't be ever worth of that loss. NEVER.

Titus's final sacrifice aside, I want to point out something else here. Multiple authors, Scott included, (Simple minded, eh Scott?) suggested, more or less subtly, that Titus is, umm, not very inteligent. I mean, people, stop for a moment, do not get hang on Scott's honestly unfair world's, read what his other friends had to say about Oates and I know, Birdie, snails, cabbage stalk, yeah, but no. Birdie, quite goddamn obviously, talks about the way Titus spoke, NOT the way he thought. Slow speech does not equal slow thinking! Based on descriptions of his speech I seriously suspect Titus had speech dyspraxia, maybe with a dash of good old selective mutism, what means he had hard time articulating the words and sometimes it was difficult for him to find them in his brain (Man, I feel you here SSO much) but still, it does not mean Titus was dim.

Want to peek into his mind? Read his own words, full of wonderful wit and lively intelligence. Last but not least, look at his actions and this text gives us a prime example to analyse, the incident from the Boer War. Young second lieutenant, barely 21, who with his quite unwieldy sized patrol of fifteen people got himself into a trap set by Boers, did not shat his brand news karki (forgive me Titus, love, but I absolutely adore this misspelling of yours) uniform pants, did not panic, but remained calm. Commanded his people to dismount and hide in dry riverbed and then crafted a neat, clever plan. See, his declarations of no surrendering weren't just an empty gesture, it wasn't about being brave for the sake of being brave. It had a purpose. That purpose was to get as much of people out of this can as possibile, without leaving anything useful behind. There was no single rifle and no single round left for enemy, all of that was either used, or taken away by the soldiers sneaking back to the town. I say that a young man who was ale to make and execute such a plan while fighting his first serious battle ever, was not dumb. This man, to use Titus's own words, had his head screwed on right.

Mark my words, Titus Oates is not a stupid man. And yes, I am wildly, insanely, stupidly and unabashedly passionate about him, in case someone haven't noticed yet.

[reggiegambler]

Free UK Racing Tips Today 16/11/23

Best Free British Horse Racing Tips Today Thursday 16th November We haven’t lost a race meeting yet, yaaaay!   Sedgefield Racing Tips   Punchestown Racing Tips   Market Rasen Racing Tips   Taunton Racing Tips   Chelmsford Racing Tips     View my recap here. Feel free to buy me a coffee it takes a long time to go through the races, and I would very much appreciate…

[k00289924]

Today we did graphic design and did risographs which is a Japanese form of making posters so we had to choose a festival and write down words that associated with the festival then did thumbnails to come up with some ideas of what could be in the poster so the festival I chose was biggest 90s disco which is in punchestown and then we had to choose 2 colours one dark and one bright so I chose teal green and hot pink so Firstly I drew my poster of what I wanted in green then placed tracing paper on top of my poster and traced over anything I wanted hot pink then both the paper and tracing paper went into the rectograph printer and as you can see there was some trial and errors but in the end once fixed came out great also have a video of when my 10 posters came out