Otago five-mile cross-country harrier championship winner E.L. Brown (Civil Service Club).
Right: J.W. Tapp (Caversham) clears a wall to come second.
— Otago Witness, 12.8.1924 The race resolved itself into a stirring duel between Brown (Civil Service) and Tapp (Caversham), and they led the field from start to finish.
Tapp made the pace all the way, and was always a little ahead of Brown until the last half-mile. In the course of the last round the spectators were quite excited over the prospect of a good finish. The first to appear on the scene was Tapp, doggedly plodding his way through Bow’s paddock to the course proper.
Only ten yards behind came Brown, running with a beautiful easy action. Lengthening his stride Brown ranged alongside Tapp almost immediately they were in the course proper. Tapp, like the gallant fighter he is, answered the challenge with a determined spurt.
Brown was finding it quite difficult to beat Tapp for the lead. Stride for stride they fought to win the championship. Tapp stuck to Brown in great style, but it was only after a prolonged duel that Tapp was seen to ease up, falter, and finally stop to a walk.
Brown kept going, and ran on down the straight a good winner. He was glad to ease up a bit at the finish. Meanwhile Tapp, mustering his almost spent resources, strode home a good second.
He was beaten by a better man after making the pace all the way, and then disputing the question at the business end in a manner which made him at once the .