OBITUARY.
DEATH OF LEN HAGERTY.
CHRISTCHURCH, March 23.
Advice has been received that Len Hagerty, the well-known cross country horseman, died in the Westport Hospital to-day from spinal meningitis.
Len Hagerty was a Timaru boy, an older brother of the late James Hagerty, the well-known boxer. Len spent some years in Ashburton before removing to Riccarton, where he gradually worked his way into prominence as a hurdle and steeple-chase jockey. He was a fearless horseman, and was particularly at home on sluggish jumpers. He reached the apex of his form at the Grand National meeting of 1919, when he won the Grand National Hurdle Race on Sir Solo, the Enfield Steeplechase on Mahawapango, Styx Hurdles on Tip Up, Sydenham Hurdles on Sir Solo, and Lincoln Steeplechase on Merry Lad. For some years ho had been attached to T. H. Gillett’s Riecarton stable, riding principally for Mr J. S. Barrett. He had a liking for West Coast meetings, and won a good number of flat races there. Last winter he received a fall from a horse at Riccarton, and was confined to hospital for some time, and although he resumed riding during this season it was obvious that he had not fully recovered from the accident. He left Christchurch a few days ago in charge of some horses which were to compete at Westport. The deceased horseman was about 40 years of age. Some of his relatives reside in South Canterbury. -Ashburton Guardian, 24/3/1922.
SPORTING.
Arrangements have been been made for the body of the late Len Hagerty to be conveyed by the Canopus to Lyttelton. The master of the vessel states that the earliest the ship will be able to make Lyttelton will be Sunday night, this only if the weather proves favourable. Accordingly the date of the funeral is unknown, but it will be either Monday or Tuesday next at the Riccarton churchyard. -Press, 25/3/1922.
The funeral of the late Len Hagerty, the well-known jockey, who died in Westport Hospital on Thursday, will take place at Christchurch on Monday. Hagerty leaves a widow and two children; a son aged 12 years and a daughter aged 10 years. The sympathy of turf followers throughout New Zealand will be extended to the bereaved family. -Grey River Argus, 25/3/1922.
The Canopus, which conveyed the late L. Hagerty from Westport, arrived at Lyttelton last evening. The funeral will take place this afternoon at the Riccarton churchyard. -Press, 7/3/1922.
General regret will be felt in sporting circles throughout, the Dominion at the news of the death of the well-known jockey, Len Hagerty, which occurred in the Westport Hospital on Thursday morning. He left early last week for the West Coast in charge of Falstaff, but he was ill on his arrival at Westport, and his death came suddenly. The immediate cause was spinal meningitis, but it is probable that it was traceable to a fall which he had when schooling a horse at Riccarton on the eve of the Grand National meeting last August. He made a somewhat slow recovery from that mishap, and he had never really regained his best health. The deceased jockey commenced riding on the flat about twenty years but for some years he has been known as a rider in hurdle and steeplechase events, though he continued to figure occasionally in flat races. He was a game horseman whose services were at everyone’s disposal for schooling jumpers, and during the last few years he had handled many horses of all kinds, over the Riccarton obstacles. Hagerty spent a few years in Melbourne where he rode with considerable success in jumping races. Shortly after his return to Riccarton he took service with T. H. Gillett, in whose employ he remained until a few weeks ago. Among his successes in big jumping races were the Grand National Hurdle Handicap on Sir Solo, and the Lincoln Steeplechase on Merry Lad, while he was associated with Manawapango in most of his races after the All Black gelding came to Riccarton, these including the Renown Steeplechase, at the Canterbury Jockey Club’s Royal meeting. He was a keen follower of football and on more than one occasion he captained the South Island jockeys in their annual match against the North Island. He was also a boxer of some ability, though not so well-known as his brother, the late James Hagerty, an Australasian Amateur Champion. Len Hagerty was very popular with all classes of racing men, and his death, at the age of thirty-six, will be deplored by a wide circle of friends. He leaves a widow and two young children. -Otago Witness, 28/3/1922.
The accident that is said to have had a strong bearing in the death of L. Hagerty last week on the West Coast, took place on August 2, a week prior to the last Grand National fixture. It was referred to in the writer’s notes of the day as follows: — “A nasty accident occurred at Riccarton this morning during the progress of schooling and galloping, in which Waimai, Bay Lupin and John Bunny took part. The trio travelled safely to the back, where Bay Lupin sustained a very bad fall, breaking one of his limbs above the knee. The son of Lupin was subsequently destroyed. L. Hagerty, who rode the injured horse, was stunned, and was removed to the casualty room for medical treatment.” It may be mentioned that the horse reported to have been responsible for Hagerty’s death, Bay Lupin, first raced in Southland, where he won across the flat prior to being put to the jumping game. He was a used-up and almost finished horse when he was tried out against good fencers like Waimai and John Bunny on the morning referred to. -Southland Times, 28/3/1922.
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