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Former trainer Tom Harrison, father of prolific American-based horseman Kelvin, died in Ashburton on Monday, April 30, aged 96.

Harrison retired from training in 1998 after approximately 30 years with a license.

His first winner, Local View, came at Westport on Boxing Day 1972 and the last of his 48 career successes came with Faye’s Image on June 1, 1996.

Before taking out a trainer’s license, Harrison met with some success as an owner in the stables of Derek Jones MNZM, Jack Grant and Pat O’Reilly Snr.

As a trainer, his best horse was the Out To Win gelding In To View, who won eight races in 10 months in 1978 and 1979.

Thomas Drayton Harrison was married for 66 years to his late wife Kath and together they had four children; Graeme, Kelvin, Katrina and Lorayne as well as many grandchildren and great grandchildren throughout New Zealand, Australia and the United States.

His funeral was held on Friday, May 4, in Methven.










Credit: NZ Harness News, 4 May 2018

Master reinsman Colin DeFilippi wasted no time landing his 2000th NZ driving win at Addington on Friday, September 8.

In his first drive for the night, he produced a customary magical drive on Izmok, a horse he co-owns and co-trains with wife Julie, to reach the milestone.

The same horse had provided DeFilippi with his 1999th at Addington on August 18, when he also positioned him perfectly behind the leaders before edging past them in the run home.

DeFilippi became the sixth New Zealand driver to join the 2000m club, joining Tony Herlihy, Maurice McKendry, Ricky May, David Butcher and Dexter Dunn, the latter becoming the youngest at Addington on July 8.

He displayed a rare show of emotion with a controlled salute at the finish.

The first of many to offer their congratulations to the popular Canterbury reinsman was former employee Sam Ottley, driving runner-up Michelle, 200 metres after the finish.

DeFilippi was welcomed back to happy scenes at the presentation area by wife and training partner, Julie, daughter Mandy, and long-time family friend, Kerryn Corbett.

He knew the milestone would come but it had proven elusive in recent weeks.

DeFilippi, who turned 65 in May, followed in the footsteps of his brother Michael, also a very successful reinsman, who drove over 1161 winners before officially retiring from race-driving four years ago.

Colin gained his first driving win behind Brother Eden, trained by his father Rod, in a one-win pace at Greymouth 43 years ago.

He says race-driving had changed over the years.

"Now you have got to be up there because they don't come back to you like they used to," said DeFilippi.

He achieved the lifetime ambition of every driver by winning the 2001 New Zealand Cup with top mare Kym's Girl, who he co-trained with wife Julie.

"You always want to win a New Zealand Cup but it’s just one race," he said.

"Courage Under Fire (former champion two and three-year-old pacer, trained by good friend Bruce Negus) was very good because he lasted two years (being unbeaten for his first 24 starts and winning a record six Derbys)."

"Going to Australia with Stent (2015 Australasian Grand Circuit trot champion he co-trains) then coming home to win the Rowe Cup was pretty good too."

"And Our Mana, even though he didn't win a New Zealand Cup, he ran second in it twice and was a good horse to have when I was getting started," he said.

He won the NZ Drivers Premiership in 2006 with 121 wins, 22 years after a premiership second to Peter Wolfenden, and has regularly featured among the top 10 on the drivers premiership.

DeFilippi, who has driven five winners on a single programme on three occasions, finished second to Belgian Christophe Martens in the 2007 World Drivers Championship, when held in Australasia.

He is an inductee in both the New Zealand Trotting Hall of Fame and Addington Harness Hall of Fame


Credit: NZ Harness News writing in The Press

BOB NEGUS - Trainer-Driver

Bob Negus, one of a rare group of harness drivers to win both the New Zealand Cup and the New Zealand Free-For-All, with champion mare Armalight in 1981, died from cancer in Christchurch on Saturday. He was 89.

Trainer son Bruce, also associated with a champion pacer, training Courage Under Fire in the late 1990's, said his father had still been driving a tractor until the final two weeks of his life. "His mind was still pretty sharp," Bruce said. "He was good about it. He had all his affairs in order."

Bob Negus cleverly out-drove his rivals with Armalight to win the 1981 New Zealand Cup. After being left parked out, he didn't force the issue, knowing his mainrivals were back in the field. He ulitised Armalight's speed inside the final 800m, leaving their rivals flat-footed. Armailght was in a class of her own, winning by seven lengths and paying $27.

Three days later, Armalight, trained by Brent Smith, made international headlines with a world record win in the New Zealand Free-For-All. Bob Negus let her run freely in front over the mobile 2000m, winning as she liked by three lengths in an astonishing 2:23.5, at the time an unheardof mile rate of 1:55.4. He had driven Armalight in her first four wins and was back at the helm when helping Smith with the mare's preparation during her stellar five-year-old season. He also drove her to win the 1982 Kaikoura Cup and run second, off a 10m handicap toanother top mare of the era in Bonnie's Chance in the 1982 New Zealand Cup.

Good friend, former Nevele R Stud founder and Bromac Lodge proprietor Bob McArdle, was saddened by his passing. "He was one of the most talented New Zealand horsemen that has ever been," said McArdle. "The guy did amazing things without having the best bred horses. God knows what he would have done had he had the best ones."

A skilled trainer and driver with his own horses, Negus trained first at Springston and then at Broadfield. His biggest win as an owner-trainer was with Willie Win in the 1972 New Zealand Derby at Addington, in the hands of NZ's champion driver of the time, in "The Maestro", the late Maurice Holmes. After breaking and losing 30m early, his performance to recover and win in a then NZ-record time for a three-year-old was sensational. He won going away from Kotare Scott, with subsequent top pacer Young Quinn, who beaten him into second in the NZ Sapling Stakes at two, finishing fifth. Willie Win later ran second to Speedy Guest that season in the 1973 Great Northern Derby. By Good Chase, Willie Win also won the 1972 Methven 2YO Stakes in the hands of the trainer and retired winning eight of 33 starts.

Negus also owned and trained Willie Win's younger half-sister Glint to win the 1955 New Zealand Oaks and the 1956 Ashburton Cup, both driven by Holmes. She won 10 of 38 starts. Glint's first foal, Bruce (named after his son) won seven, while another of her foals in La Romolaonly won once, but left six winners including eight-race winners for other trainers in Bardolino and Winning Note, and Early Riser (four), the latter leaving a feature Victorian El Dorado winner of the 1980s, First Glimpse, for Invercargill trainer Wayne Adams.

Captain Jura, secured off Balclutha trainer Len Tilson, was another Ashburton Cup winner raced by Negus, and driven by the late Doodey Townley in 1975. It was a Negus-trained quinella, with the trainer driving Willie Win to finish second. Negus also trained the quinella in the 1972 NZ Welcome Stakes for two-year-olds at Addington with another smart youngster in Hardcraft, who beat close relative Willie Win.

Hardcraft, driven by the late Derek Jones in the Welcome Stakes, was also by Good Chase, but from Gleam, a one-win daughter of Willie Win's half-sister Glister(Whipster-Spangle), who won five. Negus bred, owned and trained Hardcraft, who won five of only 16 starts and at three won the 1973 Queens birthday Stakes at Ashburton, when driven by Maurice Holmes.

Negus also bred, owned, trained and drove Glint's son Patchy to win the 1962 NZ Golden Slipper Stakes, formerly a feature two-year-old event on the NZ Harness calendar. He had his share of success in country cups, being the owner and trainer of 1963 Waimate Cup winner Flynn, and 1967 Kurow Cup winner Bronze Lad, both in the hands of Maurice Holmes, and 1969 Geraldine Cup winner Kran, which Negus drove himself.

Legacy, who won four, was another useful pacer for him in the early 1970s, while he also won three with his namesake Robert Henry (Out To Win-Gilt), before the latter was exported to North America in 1982. He also did a good job after securing one-win pacer Piper McCardy, converting him to trotting and winning seven races as an aged trotter before retiring him as an 11-year-old in 2001.

Bob Negus also had a support role in the career of subsequent world champion driver and now successful trainer Mark Jones. He employed him when Jones was on his way to becoming NZ's top junior driver.

"In his last week he had a session playing with a jazz player as it was always something he wanted to do, which was nice," McArdle said.

Negus died 80 days after his daughter, Robyn Garrett, who also died from cancer. He is survived by sons, Bruce and Keith, and daughters Christine and Gail Dolamore

Credit: NZ Harness News appeard in The Press 5/9/2017

Twelve-time New Zealand training premiership winner Mark Purdon had achieved just about everything imaginable in harness racing. But at Addington on a moderate Thursday card this evening, he hit another career milestone, joining his father, Roy, and brother, Barry, as the only trainers to have accumulated 2000 training wins in New Zealand.

“It was a real thrill,” Mark said after guiding Bettor Trix to victory. He co-races Bettor Trix with Vi Hancock, wife of Inter Dominion kingpin trainer, Sydney’s Brian Hancock.

“Both Roy and Barry would be thrilled, too,” he said.
Roy and Barry Purdon won 17 premierships in partnership from 1978 until 1995. Barry then won two premierships on his own account, while Roy earlier won four on his own account, the first in 1971.

Mark, now 53, has a laugh when asked whether he has any immediate thoughts of slowing down. “Yes, I do have thoughts of taking things a bit easier. Maybe, in two years, when I turn 55 things might change as I would like to think my sons Nathan and Michael could carry on and do a bit more,” he said.

He has dominated the sport in this country for most of the new millennium, and latterly also in Australia. Of the 2000 wins, 908 came on a solo basis, 558 in partnership with Grant Payne from 2007-12 and, latterly, 534 with Rasmussen since mid-2013.

As far as a career highlight, Purdon can’t single out any one feat as being bigger than the others.

“You always focus on the most recent because they are the most vivid in your memory, but I’ve been so lucky to have had so many top horses further back like Pride Of Petite (dual 1996-97 Inter Dominion Trot champ), Il Vicolo (dual 1995/96 NZ Cup winner) and Young Rufus (2002 Auckland Cup winner). “There are so many.”

He is currently riding the crest of a wave with training partner Natalie Rasmussen with reigning NZ Harness Horse Of The Year, Lazarus. A 10-length winner of last year’s New Zealand Cup in record time, Lazarus again leads at least four leading hopes from the stable for this year’s $800,000 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup on November 14.

The landmark came after Purdon eased Bettor Trix to take a one-out trail over the last 1200m behind stablemate Major Hippie. She raced clear to win comfortably in a quick 1:56.6 mile-rate (1950m), while Major Hippie tired to run ninth. Bettor Trix is now unbeaten in two race starts and is eligible for the upcoming Alabar Sires Stakes 3YO Fillies Series.

The All Stars stable were also to the fore in the only other race they had starters in on Thursday. They ran the quinella with two three-year-old debutantes, Tennyson Bromac and Ohanzee, in a maiden event. This time it was Natalie Rasmussen to the fore as the winning driver with Tennyson Bromac, a colt by Bettor's Delight getting the decision. Tennyson Bromac pressed to the front with a lap to run, taking over from stablemate Ohanzee, driven by Purdon.

The pair had the finish to themselves with Tennyson Bromac holding by a head in a 1:58 rate (1950m), with favourite Bright Diamond, who led early, then eased three back for trainer Gavin Smith, finishing on for third.

"They both haven't done a lot yet," said Purdon.

Twelve-time New Zealand training premiership winner Mark Purdon had achieved just about everything imaginable in harness racing.


Credit: NZ Harness News - 13 October 2017

Bob Negus, one of a rare group of harness drivers to win both the New Zealand Cup and the New Zealand Free-For-All, with champion mare Armalight in 1981, died from cancer on Saturday. He was 89.

Trainer son Bruce, also associated with a champion pacer, training Courage Under Fire in the late 1990s, said his father had still been driving a tractor until the final two weeks of his life.

‘’His mind was still pretty sharp,’’ Bruce said.

‘’He was good about it. He had all his affairs in order.’’

Bob Negus cleverly out-drove his rivals with Armalight to win the 1981 New Zealand Cup.

After being left parked out, he didn’t force the issue, knowing his main rivals were back in the field.

He utilised Armalight's speed inside the final 800m, leaving their rivals flat-footed. Armalight was in a class of her own, winning by seven lengths and paying $27.

Three days later, Armalight, trained by Brent Smith, made international headlines with a world record win in the New Zealand Free-For-All.

Bob Negus let her run freely in front over the mobile 2000m, winning as she liked by three lengths in an astonishing 2:23.5, at the time an unheard of mile rate of 1:55.4.

He had driven Armalight in her first four wins and was back at the helm when helping Smith with the mare's preparation during her stellar five-year-old season.

Even though he had often booked top drivers himself for his own horses in big races, Bob Negus showed his talents as a horseman driving Armalight.

He also drove her to win the 1982 Kaikoura Cup and run second, off a 10m handicap, to another top mare of the era in Bonnie's Chance in the 1982 New Zealand Cup.

Good friend, former Nevele R Stud founder and Bromac Lodge proprietor Bob McArdle, was saddened by his passing.

‘’He was one of the most talented New Zealand horsemen that has ever been,’’ said McArdle.

‘’The guy did amazing things without having the best bred horses. God knows what he would have done had he had the best ones.’’

A skilled trainer and driver with his own horses, Negus trained first at Springston and then at Broadfield.

His biggest win as an owner-trainer was with Willie Win in the 1972 New Zealand Derby at Addington, in the hands of NZ's champion driver of the time, in ‘’The Maestro’’, the late Maurice Holmes.

After breaking and losing 30m early, his performance to recover and win in a then NZ-record time for a three-year-old was sensational.

He won going away from Kotare Scott, with subsequent top pacer Young Quinn, who had beaten him into second in the NZ Sapling Stakes at two, finishing fifth.

Willie Win later ran second to Speedy Guest that season in the 1973 Great Northern Derby.

By Good Chase, Willie Win also won the 1972 Methven 2YO Stakes in the hands of the trainer and retired winning eight of 33 starts.


Negus also owned and trained Willie Win's younger half-sister Glint to win the 1955 New Zealand Oaks and the 1956 Ashburton Cup, both driven by Holmes. She won 10 of 38 starts.

Glint's first foal, Bruce (named after his son), won seven, while another of her foals in La Romola only won once, but left six winners including eight-race winners for other trainers in Bardolino and Winning Note, and Early Riser (four), the latter leaving a feature Victorian El Dorado winner of the 1980s, First Glimpse, for Invercargill trainer Wayne Adams.

Captain Jura, secured off Balclutha trainer Len Tilson, was another Ashburton Cup winner raced by Negus, and driven by the late Doody Townley in 1975. It was a Negus-trained quinella, with the trainer driving Willie Win to finish second.

Negus also trained the quinella in the 1972 NZ Welcome Stakes for two-year-olds at Addington with another smart youngster in Hardcraft, who beat close relative Willie Win.

Hardcraft, driven by the late Derek Jones in the Welcome Stakes, was also by Good Chase, but from Gleam, a one-win daughter of Willie Win's half-sister Glister (Whipster-Spangle), who won five.

Negus bred, owned and trained Hardcraft, who won five of only 16 starts and at three won the 1973 Queens Birthday Stakes at Ashburton, when driven by Maurice Holmes.

Negus also bred, owned, trained and drove Glint's son Patchy to win the 1962 NZ Golden Slipper Stakes, formerly a feature two-year-old event on the NZ harness calendar.

He had his share of success in country cups, being the owner and trainer of 1963 Waimate Cup winner Flynn, and 1967 Kurow Cup winner Bronze Lad, both in the hands of Maurice Holmes, and 1969 Geraldine Cup winner Kran, which Negus drove himself.

Legacy, who won four, was another useful pacer for him in the early 1970s, while he also won three with his namesake Robert Henry (Out To Win-Gilt), before the latter was exported to North America in 1982.

He also did a good job after securing one-win pacer Piper McCardy, converting him to trotting and winning seven races as an aged trotter before retiring him as an 11-year-old in 2001.

Bob Negus also had a support role in the career of subsequent world champion driver and now successful trainer Mark Jones. He employed him when Jones was on his way to becoming NZ's top junior driver.

‘’In his last week he had a session playing with a jazz player as it was always something he wanted to do, which was nice,’’ McArdle said.

Negus died 80 days after his daughter, Robyn Garrett, who also died from cancer.

He is survived by sons, Bruce and Keith, and daughters, Christine and Gail Dolamore.

Credit : NZ Harness News, September 2017

Bob Negus sadly passed away on Saturday after a battle with cancer. Bob a top horseman was well known for his deeds behind New Cup Winning mare Armalight who won the New Zealand Cup in 1981 and the New Zealand Free For All a few days later in an exceptional time of 2-23.5.



Armalight was trained by Brent Smith and Bob was her driver in seven of her eighteen wins.

Bob was a top trainer in his own right, training more than one hundred winners in a career spanning more than five decades. He trained some top horses during that time with the best of them being Willie Win who won the 1972 New Zealand Derby beating crack pacer Young Quinn in the process.

Willie Win who won eight races for Negus was bred by Bob's daughter Robyn who died from cancer earlier this year aged 62.

Robyn Garrett (then Negus) was 15 when she took over Spangle for $40, with Willie Win in embryo. Robyn had to give special attention to rearing the elderly mare and foal.

Bob also trained several other good performers like Hardcraft, who won five races including the 1972 NZ Welcome stakes beating stablemate Willie Win.

Other good performers for Bob were 8 race winner Piper McCardy, Robert Henry and a host of others.

He is survived by sons, Bruce and Keith, and daughters, Christine and Gail Dolamore.

Credit : Harnesslink Media, September 2017

MEG & MERV BUTTERWORTH

Few owners have made such a big impression on both sides of the Tasman over the last 20 years than Merv & Meg. Both were involved in trotting stables in younger years, Merv recently recalling he fed and watered Cardigan Bay when he was making his miraculous recovery from a hip injury back in the 1960's.

Arden Rooney was their first major buy at All Stars, stayed in the stable won the New Zealand Cup after being transferred to Kerryn Manning ("better than winning a Melbourne Cup," Merv said, who also races a few gallopers). However there has been a stream of smart ones including Golden Godess, Mr Mojito, Supersonic Miss, Motu Premier, Itz Bettor To Win, Motu Meteor, Didjamalem Bolt and Blackguard's Corner to name a few. And a lot, lot more in Australia where the Butterworths hold the record for most winners in a season (nearly 150). Merv and Meg have won Harness Jewels events.

Virtually non-breeders, they have also invested significantly at yearling sales of the Tasman. They have horses in many stables including several in New Zealand and a pre-training arrangement in Southland. Unlike a number of Aussie owners here they are partial to a good trotter and have bought several - and with great success in Harness Jewels.

Trivia Fact: Merv and Meg Butterworth were Owners of the Year at the 2016 Horse of the Year Awards thereby being the first Australian-domiciled winners since John Buckland 112 years before. Their Decron Hoof Care Company sponsors the Cranbourne Cup.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed Jan 2017

JEAN & BILL FEISS

When it comes to total winners Jean and Bill Feiss don't match some but when it comes to strike rate they are simply sensational. Their first runner in New Zealand was only in 2009 when Sammy Maguire was sent over from Victoria to the All Stars stable for better racing opportunities here and won at Ashburton and on Cup Day.

Jean and Bill, who race their horses as a partnership but in separate names, moved on to buying horses to be trained at All Stars and what a list it is. It includes two, Two Year Old of the Year Titles, (Chase the Dream and Spanish Armada) the brilliant Messini; top mare and Sires Stakes Final winner Willow; Backup, Benecio, MacKenzie, and now highly rated Derby prospect, Vincent and the brilliant Riccardo.

It is not as if they have been buying big numbers, either. "I do a bit of research on the pedigrees and then we consult with Nat and Mark on type and it seems to work out ok so far," says Jean, who rarely misses a NZ race day when her small team are racing. Ok? A typical Feiss understatement.

Trivia fact: The association with All Stars was largely through Natalie whom the Feiss's have known for a long time and Mark was based at their former property Woodstock during one Australian campaign. Jean was with racehorses from an early age, rode gallopers in work and trained Sammy Maguire among others,

Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed Jan

GREG BRODIE

The son of a Sydney hotel owner who swapped punting for Accountancy and Real Estate, Brodie has been based on the Gold Coast for many years and has had sustained success buying and racing Standardbreds that has been rarely matched in his time. He started here in 1990 through Marty Herbert and Bruce Negus, generally horses in the middle range.

The first star was Ginger Man (Chariots of Fire) who won over $500,000 and Bell Byrd who won the Golden Easter Egg then run at Fairfield. He hit the headlines with Courage Under Fire which he bought on trainer Negus' recommendation for six figures as a two-year-old, he won over $1.5m and 41 of his 54 starts only three times being worse than fifth.

24 of his wins were in succession and he won six Derbys so added to his stud career he was a wonderful bargain. Sly Flyin won close to $1m and currently Quick As A Trick is competing in top company from the Bruce Negus stable, while Brodies strong association with Mark Jones continued with Rocker Band being fine-tuned for the major mare's events at the Auckland Cup carnival. there ARE MANY OTHERS.

TRIVIA FACT: Like many Brodie prefers to buy rather than breed and is realistic about the fortunes of the racing game. He recalled that Courage Under Fire was not the most expensive of the six horses he bought that year.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed Jan 2017

JOHN REEDY

The man who trained and co-owned the late Starship to run second in the 1990 New Zealand Cup and 1991 Auckland Cup is still going strong in his beloved Westport. John Redmond Reedy is still training and breeding standardbreds and is actually one of five John Redmond Reedys in his family. His father, who introduced him to harness racing back in the early 1950s, was the original John Reedy Snr. That name has now spanned for generations.

"I'm 70 now and the oldest of 14 children(six sons) and we are all still alive. I live on Dad and Mum's(the late Jack and Bonnie)original farm but my son now farms about 300 cows on our property at Westport.

I've always loved harness racing for as long as I can remember. Starship was the best I trained. Me and a few mates went on a spending spree one day and paid $200,000 for him. He went on to win $341,000 but it could have been a lot more had it not been for one Dunedin horse," Reedy said.

That horse he was referring to was the Brian O'Meara trained Tuapeka Knight, who won 12 of his 14 starts and placed in one other. "When we bought Starship we didn't know that Tuapeka Knight was sitting in Otago waiting for us. We finished second to him in 9 races as a two-year-old. We actually beat him one night at Addington and then they relegated us. Starship was a lovely horse all right. He won 16 races for us and was a New Zealand record and track record holder in his peak," Reedy said.

Harness racing in the Reedy family dates back to the late 1930s and 1940s. "I was born when Dad got back from the Second World War. His horse, High Noon, even won for him when he was away serving his country. When he got back he still had horses but he bought a grocery shop in Westport. H was badly shot up so Roy Powell decided to take Dad to Bill Lowe's place at Hinds in Ashburton to fatten him up. Bill was the father of Ted Lowe and he went there the year Highland Fling won his first New Zealand Cup (1947). Dad was looking a bit miserable. He was 14 stone when he went away to the war and seven stone when he came back, Reedy said.

He said his father got a good insight into harness racing. He was working with some nice horses and stallions including Lucky Jack, who won the 1937 and 1939 New Zealand Cups. "Dad never trained horses because he worked too hard in the grocery shop and on the farm but he did own some nice ones. Not long after Dad bought our farm Bill sent him up a draft horse named Belle. We toyed with a few horses over the years and then came along the Garrison Hanover mare, Golden Rule.

"She was the best Dad owned. She threw herself backwards one day and strained a tendon. She went on to win several races, including an Interdom heat for her new leesees. The only reason Dad let others race her was on the condition she was returned to our farm at the end of her racing career. We then bred from her and Jason Rulz is the last one from her line to make an impression," Reedy said.

The Reedy breed is renowned for the 'Rule' name. The family has raced some nice horses over the years - Evil Roy Rule(Starship-Atomic Rule) who won 6 races; Deb's Rule(Starship-Timely Rule) 8 wins; Hi Rule(Starship- Atomic Rule) 3 wins; Sam Rule(Mystical Shark-Virginia Rule) 3 wins and Lady's Rule(Regal Yankee-New Rule) 3 wins.

"When Dad died we sold a couple of mares to Richard Dellaca. He was the man who changed the breeding name from 'Rule' to 'Rulz'. He owns and bred Jason Rulz(Courage Under Fire-Rule Zona) who has so far won 14 races. Actually the first horse I ever trained I couldn't qualify so I sold her to Richard when Dad died in the 1980s. Her name was Ima Rule. She was out of Golden Rule and left Franco Ice. He wasn't a bad gelding was he? He went on to win 20 races and more than $600,000.

While a constant figure at his home circuit on the West Coast each year as well as a prominent figure at meetings at Nelson and Blenheim as well, Reedy hasn't tasted success for quite some time. "I haven't had a winner for ages(2012-2013), and I'm getting sick of it," joked Reedy. "But it won't stop me . I absolutely love the game, and the people involved in it. I always have," he added. Reedy has trained 25 winners 1984 and although he rarely drives these days he saluted the judge eight times since 1985.

The Westport-born and educated Reedy is a past president of the Westport Trotting Club and also served on the New Zealand Racing Board. Racing is in our blood. My great grandfather was an 18-stone Irishman who I've been told never had an ounce of fat on him. He was all muscle and bone. He trained gallopers on the West Coast in the 1880s. "Our family has always loved racing and I'm no exception," said J R Reedy the second.

At last year's annual awards ceremony, Reedy was bestowed with the honour of the Outstanding Contribution to Harness Racing prize for his lifetime involvement in the industry. A fitting reward for a man who lives and breathes the sport.

Credit: Duane Ranger writing in Harnessed Feb 2016

CHARLES KERR

The cheerful, genial Charles Frazer Kerr, a popular trotting identity, took his successes modestly, his reverses in good spirit.

Born in Christchurch in 1860 into the large family of Margaret and Peter Kerr, he grew up on the family's 6000 acre leasehold farm, Sand Hills Run, which reached from the Styx River to the Estuary. Kerr's Reach as we know it today was a drainage for the holding and later named for the prominent New Brighton family. 'Fond of horses and their ways', Charles and his brother, William, bought horses and trained and raced their own and others stack at Wainoni.

Their triumph was the purchase and training of the outstsnding American-foaled dam and sire 'Thelma' and 'Wildwood'. After Wildwood's death, the brothers split. William continued to breed and race his own horses while Charles worked as a public trainer and reinsman. He argued that, as the public provided the stakes, it was the duty of trainers and owners to provide good horses at every major event. His stables were invariably full.

Generous, a clean sport and kind to his horses, Charlie as he was known, was great company. At 46, he married Mabel Grant and two years later, a daughter, Muriel, was born.

In May 1914, William presented Charlie with Admiral Wood 'a handsome upstanding colt' which "Willie" trained. On May 16, Charlie, the leading driver, posted a career highlight driving the unbeaten rising star Admiral Wood to win the first New Zealand Derby at the New Brighton Trotting Club course (later QE2 Park). It would be his last ride. Late that night after celebrating in Woolston, he headed home.

Driving his sulky "at a fast pace", Charles lost control of his horse and gig. The gig hit a tramline pole, the wheels came off and he was thrown on the rod. Kerr, 53, was carried to hospital where he died of his injuries on May 22. Skull fractured, ribs broken, he suffered a brain laceration in the crash, an accident similar to that which claimed the life of his father in 1877.

Charles' sporting friends subscribed to a memorial fund to install a headstone with the figure of an angel. The loving inscription was testament to the measure of the man. The friends of Linwood Cemetery Trust hopes to raise the Kerr angel back onto its plinth. The angel, a casualty of the Canterbury earthquakes will also be pinned in place to current standards.

(Thanks to Richard Greenaway for research).

Credit: Anna Price writing in Ch-Ch Mail 3 Mar 2016