Shanghai Paper Hunt Club - A Short Resume of the Season 1929-1930. -
Major E. H. McMichael
1930 - North-China Daily News & Herald Ltd., Shanghai - First and Only Edition
An extremely rare and fine little one-off production, only printed for this particular season. As explained in the foreword ‘For certain reasons it was deemed undesirable to publish the accounts of the past Season’s Hunts in the daily press, but in order that a complete record of the sport during 1929-30 might be preserved for future reference, the Stewards considered that it would be much appreciated, both by members and friends, if some account of the Hunts held could be published in pamphlet form.’ Why it was ‘deemed undesirable’ they do not explain.
A fine copy illustrated with 20 photographs and two sketches. The resume covers nine Paper Hunts and three Handicap races from November 24th, 1929 to February 23rd, 1930. With a list of events for the Shanghai Hounds’ Drag Hunts Season of 1929-30 to the rear. Introduced by the British, frustrated by the lack of animals for a proper hunt, the paper hunt involved one horseman who would ride ahead of the others to act as the hunted prey, marking the trail with coloured paper. One of the main rules was that only Mongolian ponies were accepted as a valid ride.
The Shanghai Paper Hunt Club was then founded in 1863 and with the British Consul in Shanghai John Markham as Master, was open to all nationalities and extremely cosmopolitan: by 1930 over twenty different nationalities were represented in the membership, including British, Chinese, Americans, Italians, German, Japanese, Norwegian and Russians. Initially reserved only to men, the club opened its doors to women in 1929.
The editor of the North China Herald was puzzled about the purpose of such sport, writing in an article at the height of the 1866 season: ‘Among the various proofs of madness which Chinese have daily opportunity of noting against the AngloSaxon race, few must appear to them more conclusive than Paper Hunting ... For two men to gallop frantically over field and creek ... for the mere purpose of scattering bits of paper which others take a delight in following up ... is rank madness’. Riders encountered strong hostility from local Chinese farmers who resented the ‘invasion’ of their farmlands and the lack of respect shown by the hunters, as trails ran sometimes very close to ancestral grave mounds; the Club was forced to make large payment to local official to placate the discontent and pay for damages.
The author, Major E. H. McMichael, was a British trader working for the house of Frazar & Co, and served with the Shanghai Light Horse, Shanghai Volunteer Corps.
Tall octavo (size 24.8 x 15.4 cm), pp. 32. In publisher’s sewn cream card wrappers, front panel lettered bordered and illustrated in brown. Condition: Fine Ref: 109155 Price: HK$ 9,000
A fine copy illustrated with 20 photographs and two sketches. The resume covers nine Paper Hunts and three Handicap races from November 24th, 1929 to February 23rd, 1930. With a list of events for the Shanghai Hounds’ Drag Hunts Season of 1929-30 to the rear. Introduced by the British, frustrated by the lack of animals for a proper hunt, the paper hunt involved one horseman who would ride ahead of the others to act as the hunted prey, marking the trail with coloured paper. One of the main rules was that only Mongolian ponies were accepted as a valid ride.
The Shanghai Paper Hunt Club was then founded in 1863 and with the British Consul in Shanghai John Markham as Master, was open to all nationalities and extremely cosmopolitan: by 1930 over twenty different nationalities were represented in the membership, including British, Chinese, Americans, Italians, German, Japanese, Norwegian and Russians. Initially reserved only to men, the club opened its doors to women in 1929.
The editor of the North China Herald was puzzled about the purpose of such sport, writing in an article at the height of the 1866 season: ‘Among the various proofs of madness which Chinese have daily opportunity of noting against the AngloSaxon race, few must appear to them more conclusive than Paper Hunting ... For two men to gallop frantically over field and creek ... for the mere purpose of scattering bits of paper which others take a delight in following up ... is rank madness’. Riders encountered strong hostility from local Chinese farmers who resented the ‘invasion’ of their farmlands and the lack of respect shown by the hunters, as trails ran sometimes very close to ancestral grave mounds; the Club was forced to make large payment to local official to placate the discontent and pay for damages.
The author, Major E. H. McMichael, was a British trader working for the house of Frazar & Co, and served with the Shanghai Light Horse, Shanghai Volunteer Corps.
Tall octavo (size 24.8 x 15.4 cm), pp. 32. In publisher’s sewn cream card wrappers, front panel lettered bordered and illustrated in brown. Condition: Fine Ref: 109155 Price: HK$ 9,000