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PEOPLE

 

YEAR: 1970

GEORGE MURFITT

In October, 1858, the good ship 'Strathallan' grated against the side of a newly-built wharf in the settlement of Lyttleton after a rough sea crossing lasting many week from the old country...England.

On board and full of hope for a new life in a new land was a Mr John Murfitt, his wife, and son Harry, who was born during the voyage. The young family arriving only eight years after the first four ships had deposited the first of Canterbury's colonists, trekked over the 'bridal path' and settled in Woodend, a 20 mile journey from Christchurch, where John started work as a timber carter. Work was hard with the horse and cart as the trip from Oxford to Christchurch was over unbroken rugged country unable to be called roads. Harry, when he was old enough, went to work with his father, and then afterwards began a career that was to involve his son, Mr G H Murfitt, of Southbrook, for approximately 88 years.

Times were difficult in those early pioneering days before the turn of the century and Harry's new livelihood of training both gallopers and trotters was a hard struggle. Before long Mr G H (George) Murfitt was in the saddle breaking in young horses, and like most of the young boys in those days possessed 'no fear'. He was soon riding in races - at Oxford, Riccarton, Amberley and Ohoka, and these were nearly all either steeplechase or hurdle races. At one Amberley meeting in the late 1890s before a very big crowd and the 'bookies' he vividly recalls winning the first four races - all over jumps.

As well as riding for his father he also rode for a Mr Cassidy and a Miss Buttons. Cassidy, who lived on the West Coast, ran stage coaches which connected the Coast to Christchurch. His uncle, Mr G B Murfitt, also raced a large team of gallopers and trotters from Cobden. One day his uncle raced a pacer called Daystar at a Coast meeting, and tied his three stone son, Eddie, onto the horses back to make sure he didn't fall off. The horse won, but little Eddie was later killed in the Great World War. George also cackles when he thinks about the time when the late 'Free' Holmes was running second to him in a race at Ohoka. After the race 'Free' entered a protest against George's horse, who was owned by a banker, as it was on the forfeit list. The stewards had little option but to disqualify George's mount and promote the second horse.

When the First World War started in 1914, weight problems and family ties finally forced George to hand in his galloping licence, and he then took on trotters. Rangiora, where George trained his horses, was nowhere near as big as it is today, and his stable was in the middle of the township. As well as training horses, George ran the livery stable and two days a week this was a thriving and bustling concern. "It was sale day every Tuesday and shopping day every Friday, and they would all come to town, and leave their horses at the livery," he explained. "Sometimes we would have over 100 horses and have to run a wire along to tie them all up. It cost a bob a stand and a bob a feed." Among those who used the livery was Mr Jack Matson, a well known auctioneer with the old stock firm of National Mortgage and Agency Company for many years.

Between the First and Second World Wars a horse fair was held one day a month in Rangiora, George had the responsibility of trucking the 40 or 50 unbroken horses, ponies, and other types to be sold from the railway trucks to the saleyards. After noting the markings on them all, the horses would be driven at midnight past the Red Lion Pub, through the main street of Rangiora to the yards, where they were all assembled back in the same groups as they were when they disembarked.

One of his cunning tricks was to buy an unbroken quarter draught horse at one sale - take it home and run the clippers over it after quickly breaking it in. At the next monthly sale he would take it back looking
every bit a show horse, and after prancing it around the ring with a pair of sharp spurs on, sell it at a handy profit.

Getting on towards 30 years ago he sold his Rangiora stables to a panel beater and the Rangiora Fire Brigade and moved out to his present 100 acre stud at Southbrook.

Since he began training many good pacers and trotters have passed through George's hands including Header, Pearl Logan, Harvestin, Karaki and Harbour Light. Header, an attractive black gelding by Sonoma Harvester out of a mare by Wildwood Junior, was probably the best horse he had. At the Wellington Trotting Club's meeting back in 1935, Header, driven by M Holmes, raced twice and won twice on the same day, the second time off 84 yards. In March, 1936, Header returned to Wellington finishing second at his first start, then winning later in the day off 60 yards. Purchased by Sir John McKenzie, Header reached the very best class of trotters. Karaki, is the horse he reserves most affection for, and in his words "he was never done." He too, reached the top class of trotters.

One incident he recalls was on board the horse train going to a meeting in the North Island. "The train was going through Palmerston North and we heard that the brakes wouoldn't work. Three or four hundred yards past the station the brakes suddenly locked and the horses were all thrown forward. When the train stopped a bolt had stuck in his horse's head. There was no compensation from the railway in those days, so we patched up the wound and had to race Header on one of the later days to get some expenses," he relates.

On another occasion he was at the Wellington meeting with Header. At the same meeting was M Holmes, who had gone to the meeting to drive Renegade in the same race as the Murfitt owned and trained trotter. For some reason Maurice, according to George, was taken off Renegade, and came to him to ask for the drive behind Header. Maurice was anxiuos to beat Renegade. And he did, for Header won both starts, while Renegade could do no better than a third and a fourth. This continued a long association between the Murfitts and the Holmes's.

Harbour Light would undoubtedly be the most profitable winner that he has raced. She was bred in 1957 by Light Brigade out of Sure Phoebe and won $26,095, the result of 14 wins and numerous placings against the best trotters in the Dominion. Harbour Light's wins included the Canterbury Park Trotting Cup (twice, once dead-heating with Flaming Way after a late run from the back), the Greyhound and Stewards' Handicaps at Addington, and the first heat of the NZ Trotting Championship at Addington in 1966 when she also dead-heated, this time with Grand Charge.

For more than 30 years, since he stood his first stallion, Proud Child, at his Rangiora property, he has always had a horse at the stud. Highland Chief is one that he particularly remembers. Bred in 1944, Highland Chief was by U Scott out of Pearl Logan, who also left Frank Logan, Calumet Pointer and Logan Scott. His present stallion is Larnie Scott, who was bred in 1950 by Light Brigade out of Lady Scott. Although he reached the best class as a trotter, 'Larnie' was also a competent pacer. His oldest stock are now 8-year-olds and his progeny include a top race mare in Stereo Light, recent trotting winner in Doctor Scott, as well as Kilarno, Haughty Scott, Copper Wire and Shot Silk.

As well as seeing to the day to day running of the stud, George, and his good wife, Wyn, are working about seven horses, most of them yearlings. George Murfitt still takes part in all stable chores, and drives all the team, including young horses in training. At 88 years and with every faculty working perfectly, he is a remarkable old gentleman, who would surely claim the honour of being the oldest active trainer in NZ.

He could relate interesting yarns on the old days for hours and hours. "Just recently," he said "the parson at Amberley asked me to write a book on my life. And I said to him I might be put in goal if I did." With too many stories like the Sunday mornings he would meet his mates in a Rangiora barn armed with their bantam roosters, he would certainly be running a close race with the law. "After all the fighting was over, we would bring them home, put them in a basin of water to wash the blood off and get them ready for the next Sunday," he recalled. "Life was hard in those days," he sighed.

But what a life and what terrific memories he must have collected through his 88 eventful years. And it's by no means over yet.




Credit: Mike Grainger writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 21Oct70



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