The first gala at Blake's field was held on July 11th 1883 and it was as great a success as ever. At 10 am all the club members marched in procession with the March and Chatteris brass band to the church for a service. The gala then followed a timetable that proved so successful when the gala was held previously at Manor Park, with a race around the streets of Chatteris in the morning and sports on the field in the afternoon. The morning race was over five miles around the streets of the town** covering eight laps. The race could not be started effectively because the riders were spaced at the start by their handicap distances, so the starter rode off on his horse and secured a pistol and the race started. There were four riders and the scratch man, Thomas Smith of Colne, soon started to catch the long markers, but a spoke in his wheel snapped and he had to dismount. Meanwhile H Saunders of St Ives, off 250 yards, passed the other long markers and won by ten yards.
After lunch, the crowd made their way to Blake's field for the afternoon sports. The attendance was in excess of 3,500.
** The circuit was probably around Park Street, West Park Street, Wood Street and East Park Street. The circuit was about a mile around, the open and local races were two laps and the boy's race one lap.