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Set out below is the composition of both the Addington Trotting Course Ltd and Addington Raceway Ltd. Until the 1963-64 season New Brighton was not incuded as it raced at it's own course in New Brighton.

ADDINGTON TROTTING COURSE LTD

NZMTC CPTC

1952-3 C E Hoy D McCormick J Palmer J E W Cross W Milne Shand H H Wauchop

53-54 C E Hoy D McCormick J Palmer J E W Cross W Milne Shand H H Wauchop

54-55 C E Hoy D McCormick J Palmer J E W Cross W Milne Shand H H Wauchop

55-56 C E Hoy D McCormick J Palmer J E W Cross C S Peate H H Wauchop

56-57 C E Hoy D McCormick J Palmer J E W Cross C S Peate H H Wauchop

57-58 C E Hoy D McCormick J Palmer H T Fuller C S Peate H H Wauchop

58-59 C E Hoy D McCormick J Palmer H T Fuller C S Peate H H auchop

59-60 C E Hoy D McCormick J K Davidson H T Fuller C S Peate H H Wauchop

60-61 C E Hoy D McCormick J K Davidson H T Fuller C S Peate H H Wauchop

61-62 C E Hoy D McCormick J K Davidson H T Fuller C S Peate H H Wauchop

62-63 C E Hoy D McCormick J K Davidson H T Fuller H F Butland L S Smart



NZMTC CPTC NBTC

1963-4 J K Davidson C E Hoy H F Butland L S Smart A G Jamieson A E Laing

64-65 J K Davidson C E Hoy H F Butland L S Smart A G Jamieson A E Laing

65-66 J K Davidson R W Saunders H F Butland L S Smart A G Jamieson A E Laing



ADDINGTON RACEWAY LTD



NZMTC CPTC NBTC

1966-7 J K Davidson R W Saunders H F Butland L S Smart A G Jamieson W F Stark

67-68 J K Davidson R W Saunders H F Butland L S Smart A G Jamieson W F Stark

68-69 J K Davidson H M S Dawson H F Butland L S Smart A G Jamieson W F Stark

69-70 J K Davidson H M S Dawson H F Butland L S Smart A G Jamieson W F Stark

70-71 J K Davidson H M S Dawson H F Butland T A Leitch A G Jamieson W F Stark

71-72 J K Davidson H M S Dawson H F Butland T A Leitch J R Hartley W F Stark

72-73 J K Davidson H M S Dawson H F Butland T A Leitch J R Hartley W F Stark

73-74 J K Davidson H M S Dawson S C Cordner T A Leitch J R Hartley B B Woods

74-75 J K Davidson H M S Dawson S C Cordner T A Leitch J R Hartley B B Woods

75-76 J K Davidson H M S Dawson S C Cordner T A Leitch J R Hartley B B Woods

76-77 G W Blaxall H M S Dawson S C Cordner T A Leitch J R Hartley B B Woods

77-78 G W Blaxall H M S Dawson S C Cordner T A Leitch J R Hartley B B Woods

78-79 G W Blaxall H M S Dawson S C Cordner S Andrews J R Hartley B B Woods

79-80 E T McDermott H M S Dawson S C Cordner S Andrews J R Hartley B B Woods

80-81 E T McDermott H M S Dawson S C Cordner W Cuningham J R Hartley B B Woods

81-82 E T McDermott H M S Dawson S C Cordner W Cuningham J R Hartley B B Woods

82-83 D R McCormick H M S Dawson S C Cordner W Cuningham J R Hartley B B Woods

83-84 D R McCormick H M S Dawson S C Cordner W Cuningham J R Hartley B B Woods

84-85 A R Corcoran H M S Dawson R H Duff W Cuningham J R Hartley B B Woods

85-86 A R Corcoran M L Taylor R H Duff W Cuningham J R Hartley B B Woods

86-87 A R Corcoran M L Taylor R H Duff W Cuningham J R Hartley B B Woods

87-88 A R Corcoran M L Taylor R H Duff W Cuningham J R Hartley A F McDonald

NBHRC

88-89 A R Corcoran M L Taylor R H Duff W Cuningham J R Hartley A F McDonald

89-90 A R Corcoran M L Taylor R H Duff W Cuningham J R Hartley A F McDonald

90-91 A R Corcoran M L Taylor R H Duff W Cuningham J R Hartley A F McDonald

91-92 A R Corcoran M L Taylor R H Duff B Hastings J R Hartley A F McDonald

92-93 A R Corcoran M L Taylor P L Doig J F Penney J R Hartley A F McDonald

93-94 A R Corcoran M L Taylor P L Doig J F Penney J R Hartley A F McDonald

94-95 A R Corcoran M L Taylor J L Hughes J F Penney J R Hartley A F McDonald

95-96 A R Corcoran M L Taylor J L Hughes J F Penney J R Hartley A F McDonald

96-97 A R Corcoran M L Taylor J L Hughes J F Penney J R Hartley A F McDonald

97-98 A R Corcoran M L Taylor J L Hughes J F Penney J R Hartley A F McDonald

After that time the functions of A R L were taken over by the Directors of NZMTC.

The honour of Honorary Life Membership of the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club is not conferred lightly. Honorary Life Membership is granted in the main to Members of the Club, some of whom have given service to the Club, others to trotting generally, or are widows of deceased officers. From 1949 those who have been Members for 50 years of more are elected Honorary Life Members.

The first Life Member was Mr H Mace who was elected on 10th July, 1901.

It is reported that the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club did not approve of the Canterbury Trotting Club’s action in electing 13 of its Committeemen as Life Members of that Club, and this action further delayed the amalgamation of the two Clubs.

The membership records of the NZMTC show that some Members of the Canterbury Trotting Club who were Life Members at the time of amalgamation in 1901 became Life Members of the NZMTC and retained such membership until their death. Canterbury Trotting Club Life Members listed in the NZMTC’s first Membership records as Honorary Life Members were Messrs G Duke, G King, G McClatchy, H McIlraith, R Sunderland and Mrs E C J Stevens.

In November 1903 at a Special General Meeting of Members, a resolution was passed that Honorary Life Members be elected at the AGM and under the Rules of the Club, the name of a proposed Honorary Life Member must be submitted to and approved by the Committee of the Club before being submitted to the AGM.

The following were elected Honorary Life Members in the years shown and for the reason set out where obtainable.

Year Member Reason

1901 H Mace Services to Trotting and to the
Canterbury TC

W Tonks Services to the Club as a
Committeeman

1906 Mrs G H McHaffie Widow of deceased President

1908 T C M Rallinshaw Financial member ex the
Canterbury TC

Mrs T Marr Widow of deceased Treasurer

1910 Mrs G Payne Widow of deceased Vice-President

1912 Mrs W Tonks Widow of deceased Life Member and
Committeeman

Mrs J Harris Widow of deceased Treasurer

1914 H Reynolds Services to Trotting, in particular
to the development of his starting
machine and race starting generally

1915 G B Ritchie Services to the Club as Treasurer
and Vice-President

1921 J S Slade Services to the Club as
Committeeman and Steward and also
as a Committeeman of the Canterbury
TC

Mrs J S Williams Widow of deceased Treasurer

1922 E Clarkson

1924 Mrs C Louisson Widow of deceased President

Dr M G Louisson Son of deceased President

1934 A T Smith Services to the Club as a Steward

Mrs J S Slade Widow of deceased Committeeman,
Steward and Life Member

1936 W Hepworth

1937 W H Hollis Long Service to the Club

J Westerman Long Service to the Club

H F Nicoll Services to Trotting as President
of the NZ Trotting Conference

1940 Mrs J H Williams Widow of deceased President

F E Graham Services to the Club as Vice-
President and Treasurer

Hon. W Hayward Services to the Club as
Committeeman and Steward

1941 J S Berry Services to Trotting

E X Le Lievre Services to Trotting

1943 G W C Smithson Services to the Club as Treasurer
and Solicitor

1946 A L Matson Services to the Club on his
retirement as President

1949 J Way 50 Years Membership

1950 Sir John McKenzie Services to Trotting

G Rutherford Services to the Club

1952 C S Thomas Services to the Club on his
retirement as President

F R Leach 50 Years Membership

1956 Lady May McKenzie Widow of Sir John McKenzie
Life Member

C E Hoy Services to the Club on his
retirement as President

E F Nicoll Services to the Club as a
Committeeman and 44 Years Membership

C Lange 53 Years Membership

1958 Mrs A L Matson Services to the Club and widow of
a Life Member

1959 D Spence 50 Years Membership

1960 W M Ollivier Services to the Club on his
retirement as President

1963 D F Glanville Services as a Committeeman and
Steward since 1934

E E Luttrell 51 Years Membership

1965 J K Davidson Services to the Club on his
retirement as President

E Rutherford Services to the Club as a
Committeeman and Steward

1969 Mrs C S Thomas Services to the Club

1973 J L Holmes 50 years Membership

1974 G W Blaxall Services to the Club since 1953
and on his retirement as President

1975 C Dawson 50 Years Membership

1979 E T McDermott Services to the Club on his
retirement as President

Mrs L M Hoy Services to the Club, widow of
Past President

Mrs K M Saunders Services to the Club, widow of
Past President

D C Parker Services to the Club as an
employee from 1938 to 1979 on his
retirement as Secretary/ Manager

1981 H M S Dawson Services to the Club as a
Committeeman and to Addington
Raceway Ltd as a Director and
Chairman of Directors

1984 D E Dalzell Services to the Club on his
retirement as Treasurer

M L Taylor Services to the Club on his
retirement as President

1989 D R McCormick Services to the Club on his
retirement as President

T H Davis Services to the Club as an
employee from 1960 to 1989 on his
retirement as Secretary/ Manager



Credit: NZMTC: Historical Notes compiled by D C Parker

The first President of the Club was Mr G H McHaffie. He was elected to the Office following an alteration to the Rules passed at special meeting of the Club held on 9th August, 1903 which made provision for the election of a President, Honorary Treasurer and Committee of nine.

Prior to this date a Committee had been elected and they had appointed their Chairman. In late 1894 Mr V Harris was elected Chairman of the Lancaster Park Amateur Trotting Club, a position he retained until the Club became the NZMTC. He relinquished the Chairmanship in 1903. He was an enthusiastic worker for the Club when the spade work was being done in the transfer to Addington.

In 1903 Mr G H McHaffie was appointed Chairman of the NZMTC and in 1904 became the first elected President. He retained Office until his death at the end of 1905. Mr McHaffie was a great enthusiast and one of the most far seeing Officials the Club had had up until that time. Following his death the Honorable Charles Louisson was elected President, an Office he held for 18 years. His term as President covered the period when great changes were made in enlarging the Addington grounds, erecting buildings and establishing the format for what we know today. One of his greatest services to the Club was the annual presentation for many years of a Cup which was presented to the owner of the winner of the New Zealand Cup Handicap. His name was perpetuated on the inside Public Stand foundation stone which he laid on 10th February 1910. His son, Dr M G Louisson, was a Committeeman and Steward of the Club for many years and was Vice-President from 1945 to 1948.

On the death of the Honorable Charles Louisson, Mr J H Williams was elected President, an Office he held for 16 years, during which time he rendered great service to the Club. As well as being President of the NZMTC he was President of the NZ Trotting Association for 14 years and a member of the 1921 Racing Commission. Following the death of Mr J H Williams in 1940, Mr F E Graham, who had been Vice-President since 1935 let his name go forward for election as President. He was opposed by Mr A L Matson who was successful at the ballot being elected President in 1940. Mr Matson brought youth and vigour to the position and put in a tremendous amount of work in re-organising the Club and bringing it increased popularity. As well as being President of the Club he was appointed to the Executive of the NZ Trotting Conference in 1941 and was President in 1948, a position he held until 1955. At the Club’s 1946 AGM he was elected an Honorary Life Member and in 1955, following his retirement from the Presidency of the NZ Trotting Conference, both the Canterbury Park and New Brighton Trotting Clubs elected him an Honorary Life Member in recognition of his services to Trotting. Mr Matson was the first person to be elected an Honorary Life Member of the three Clubs. Mr Matson’s son, Mr H D Matson was a Steward and Committeeman of the Club. Mr A L Matson was elected a Steward of the Club in 1929 and a Committeeman in 1937. Following his term as President he was elected Honorary Treasurer of the Club, an Office he held until 1952.

Mr C S Thomas was elected to fill a Steward’s vacancy by the Committee in August 1935 but his resignation as a Steward was received by the Committee at its following meeting.

Mr Thomas was elected to the Committee in 1938 and when Mr Matson was elected President he was elected to the Office of Vice-President in a ballot against the Honorable W Hayward, a Committeeman of long standing. Mr Thomas held the position until 1945 when he was elected President. He remained in Office until 1952 when he was elected Treasurer, an Office he held until 1970. Mr Thomas was a strong President and under his regime the standard of administration and the running of the Club was strengthened. He was a controversial figure and he stood by his principles, proof of which was born out in 1953 when he was a member of the Programme Committee. He could not support the changes that the other members of the Programme Committee proposed for the Cup Meeting in 1953 which included a reduction in the number of two mile races and the introduction of a 7 furlong race in the programme. Mr Thomas resigned from the Programme Committee. He was to the forefront of tree-planting projects at Addington and a number of magnificent trees are the result of his influence. Mr Thomas was President of the NZ Trotting Conference from 1957 to 1961 and played a prominent part in the introduction and establishment of the Totalisator Agency Board of which he became Chairman. He was a member of the Gaming Commission which investigated the establishment of an Off-Course betting system and involved him and other members of the Commission in a great deal of traveling throughout the country in the course of their enquiries.

The President following Mr Thomas was Mr C E Hoy who had a long association with Trotting in all phases. Mr Hoy was elected a Steward of the Club in 1939, a Committeeman in 1940, Vice-President in 1948 and President in 1952, an Office he retained for four years. Mr Hoy was a member of the Grounds Committee as a representative of the NZMTC from 1940 and when the Addington Trotting Course Ltd was established he was one of the Club’s original Directors, the other two being Mr D McCormick and Mr J Palmer. Mr Hoy was the first Chairman of Directors of Addington Trotting Course Ltd, filling the position on five different occasions. Mr Hoy was a member of the Executive of the NZ Trotting Conference from 1961 to 1965 and from 1965 to 1970 was Treasurer of the Conference. He resigned as an Official of the “Met” in 1973. During Mr Hoy’s Presidency the Club was honoured by the visit of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, this being the first occasion on which a reigning Monarch had attended a Trotting Meeting in New Zealand. This was a tremendous challenge to Mr Hoy and his Committee and reports of the Meeting expressed the opinion that it was an unqualified success and, and as many said, in true “Met” standard.

During Mr Hoy’s Presidency, Mr W M Ollivier was his Vice-President and in 1956 was elected President, an Office he held until 1960. He was elected a Steward in 1942 and a Committeeman in 1943. Mr Ollivier was a member of the NZ Trotting Association from 1943 until 1948 when he was elected Vice-President, a position he held until the Association ceased to operate in 1950 when its functions were taken over by the NZ Trotting Conference. Mr Ollivier was a member of the Conference Executive during its initial year. Mr Ollivier’s father, Mr C M Ollivier was associated with the NZMTC for many years and served as Vice-President from 1924 to 1935 under the Presidency of Mr J H Williams.

The eight President of the Club was Mr J K Davidson. He was elected an Honorary Steward in 1945 and a Steward of the Club in the following year. Mr Davidson was unique in that he did not serve as an elected Committeeman until after his term as Immediate Past President. He was elected Vice-President in 1956 and served in that position until 1960 when he was elected President of the Club, an office he held until 1965. During his term of Office major changes took place at Addington. On Show Day 1961 prior to the running of the last race, which was delayed for approximately half an hour, the main inside Public Grandstand which was built in 1910 was destroyed by fire and was a complete write-off, only the damaged concrete foundation remaining. It became imperative that a new stand be built as soon as practicable and Mr Davidson, accompanied by the Chairman of Directors of Addington Raceway Ltd, Mr L S Smart of the Canterbury Park Trotting Club, together with the Secretary, Mr D C Parker visited tracks in the North Island at Tauherenikau, Feilding and Te Rapa to get some ideas for the type of Public Stand that should be built. On their return instructions were issued to the Architect, Mr C C Lamb, and a new stand was planned. It became necessary to re-site the horse stalls near Wrights Road as access from the existing stalls to the Birdcage would be obstructed by the new stand. In conjunction with the building projects it was decided the time was right to introduce Night Trotting at Addington. The contracts for the new stand and rebuilding of the horse stalls and the installation of track and ancillary lighting were let with all projects to be completed prior to Cup Day 1963. This goal was achieved with the inaugural Night Meeting being held on Wednesday 20th November 1963. During the latter part of this period discussions were held with the New Brighton Trotting Club who were faced with major maintenance costs and felt that the introduction of Night Trotting was an appropriate time for then to throw in their lot with the two Addington Clubs. They agreed to buy into Addington Raceway Ltd and conducted their first Meeting at Addington on the night of Saturday, 7th December 1963. At the conclusion of Mr Davidson’s term of Office he became Immediate Past President and it was not until the election of Mr G W Blaxall to the Presidency in 1968 that Mr Davidson became an elected Committeeman of the Club. Mr Davidson was appointed a Director of Addington Trotting Course Ltd in December 1960 following the resignation of Mr J Palmer, one of the original Directors representing the Club. Mr Davidson was Chairman of Directors for the years 1964-65, 1967-68 and 1970-71. He remained on the Directorate until 1975.

Mr R W Saunders was elected President in 1965 following his tem of office as Vice-President from 1960 to 1965. Mr R F J Powell, a Committeeman stood against Mr Saunders but was unsuccessful. Mr Saunders was elected a Steward in 1953 and a Committeeman in 1958 and during his term as President the Club was honoured with a visit from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. This Meeting was held on 23rd April 1966 and was an unqualified success. In January 1968 Mr Saunders died and was the third President of the Club to die in Office.

Mr G W Blaxall, who was Mr Saunders’ Vice-President from 1965 to 1968, was elected President following the death of Mr A Saunders, an office he held until 1974. Mr R E Booker opposed Mr Blaxall for the office of Vice-President at the elections in 19650 without success. Mr Blaxall had been appointed Accommodation and Transport Officer to the Club for the 1951 Inter Dominion Championships and was elected a Steward in 1952 and a Committeeman in 1953. During Mr Blaxall’s term of office the Club conducted the Inter Dominion Championships in 1971 and although the final was marred by Junior’s Image , the winner of the pacing section, returning a positive swab and subsequently being disqualified, the Meeting was a unqualified success and a profitable one for the Club. Mr Blaxall, as well as being prominent in the administration of the Club, was a Director of Addington Raceway Ltd and also a member of the Executive of the NZ Trotting Conference. He was elected to the Executive in 1970 and Treasurer in 1974, a position he held until 1982.

Mr Blaxall’s Vice-President, Mr E T McDermott took office as President of the Club in 1974. Mr McDermott was elected an Honorary Steward in 1954, a Steward in 1956 and a Committeeman in 1962. He served as Vice President from 1972 until his election as President. His father Mr E C McDermott was a prominent owner, trainer and driver during the ‘30s’ and in 1934 drove Indianapolis to his first of three consecutive victories in the NZ Cup. Mr K C Meyers, who was Vice-President to Mr Blaxall from 1968 was unable to continue in office for health reasons and resigned in favour of Mr McDermott. Mr Meyers was elected a Steward in 1960 and a Committeeman in 1965. During Mr McDermott’s term the Club was honoured with a second visit from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. This was the first occasion when they had seen Trotting in New Zealand under the lights and the Meeting was a very successful one, although the number of patrons present was very disappointing. During his association with the Club, Mr McDermott was a prominent member of the Programme Committee and put forward many suggestions which resulted in the raising of the standard of the Club’s programming and the introduction of many feature races. He also represented the Club on the Directorate of Addington Raceway Ltd.

Mr M L Taylor, who was appointed a Steward in October 1968 and a Committeeman in 1970, was Vice-President during Mr McDermott’s term of office and succeeded to the Presidency in 1979, completing his term in 1984. Mr Taylor’s Vice-President was Mr D R McCormick. During Mr Taylor’s term the Club conducted its fourth Royal Meeting, on this occasion the quests being their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Kent. Following this visit H R H The Prince of Wales and H R H The Princess Diana were to be the Club’s guests at a Race Meeting on 27th April 1983 but due to inclement weather the Race Meeting was cancelled and His Royal Highness requested that members of the Committee and other quests attend a cocktail party at which their Royal Highnesses would be present.

Mr Taylor applied his business acumen to the administration and he and his Committee launched a major promotion policy involving sponsorships and other activities which should be of benefit to the Club.

In 1984 Mr D R McCormick was elected President with Mr P Andrews as his Vice-President. Mr McCormick’s father was a Committeeman of the Club and a representative on the Board of Addington Trotting Course Ltd from its inception in 1952 until 1963 when the representatives were reduced from three to two. Mr McCormick was elected a Steward in 1967, a Committeeman in 1973 and Vice-President in 1979 and completed his term as President in 1989.

Mr P Andrews who was elected a Steward in 1974, a Committeeman in 1979, Vice-President in 1984 was elected President when Mr McCormick finished his term in 1989. Mr Andrews father, Mr S Andrews was a long serving Committeeman of the Canterbury Park Trotting Club being its President from 1973 to 1976 and one of its representatives on the Addington Raceway Ltd Directorate from 1978 to 1980. Mr A R Abell is Mr Andrews Vice-President.



Credit: NZMTC: Historical Notes compiled by D C Parker

An interest in Trotting or an association at top level with the administration of the sport has, in many instances, been passed on from father to son.

Dr M G Louisson, the son of the Honorable Charles Louisson the second President of the Club (1906-24), was elected a Steward in 1926, a Committeeman in 1933 and was Vice-President from 1945 to 1948. Dr M G Louisson’s son, Dr J M Louisson, was appointed a Medical Officerin 1948 and in 1981 still retained that appointment. As well as an interest in Trotting both the Doctors Louisson have been associated with the Canterbury Jockey Club as Committeemen.

The next President was Mr J H Williams (1924-40) and his son, Mr J R Williams, was a Steward and Committeeman of the Club for approximately three years. Mr J R Williams resigned from the Committee and Stewards as he was strongly opposed to Night Trotting and, as a Committeeman, could not support its introduction at Addington.

The fourth President of the Club was Mr A L Matson (1940-45) and he had a long association with Trotting and his son, Mr H D Matson, was elected a Steward in 1958 and a Committeeman in 1963. Mr H D Matson tendered his resignation towards the end of 1968 as he was being transferred overseas by his firm.

In 1956 Mr W M Ollivier became President and, in his case, he was following a tradition set by his father and grandfather. His grandfather, Mr A M Ollivier, acted as Secretary from 1887 to1889 and prior to this appointment Mr A M Ollivier acted as Clerk of the Course from the inaugural Meeting on. At the conclusion of his term as Secretary he became a Steward and a newspaper report on the 1891 Annual Meeting listed him as President, although records show that the first President was not elected until 1904. Mr A M Ollivier’s son, Mr C M Ollivier, was elected a Committeeman and Steward in 1918 and was Vice-President from 1924 to 1935 under the Presidency of Mr J H Williams. The third Ollivier, Mr W M, was elected a Steward in 1942, a Committeeman in 1943, Vice-President in 1952 and President in 1956 a position he retained until 1960.

It had been proposed by members of the Committee that Mr J B McDermott should be nominated as a Steward but his father, Mr E T McDermott, held the view that it was not in order for his son to be associated with the Club’s administration during his term as President (1974-79) so it was not until 1980 that MrJ B McDermott was appointed to fill a casual Stewards vacancy.

Mr D McCormick was a long serving Committeeman and Steward of the Club as well as being one of its representatives on the Grounds Committee and one of the Club’s original Directors on Addington Trotting Course Ltd which was established in 1952. He served as Chairman of Directors for the 1954-55 year. He was followed in the role as an administrator by his son, Mr D R McCormick, who was elected a Steward in 1967, a Committeeman in 1973 and Vice-President in 1979.

While only associated with the NZMTC as a member of Committeeman Mr F G A White, Mr F W White was a Steward of the New Brighton Trotting Club from 1946 to 1954.

Mr P Andrews was elected a Steward in 1974 and a Committeeman in 1979. His father, Mr S Andrews, had a long association with the Canterbury Park Trotting Club being a Stewart, Committeeman and President and also one of his Club’s representatives on Addington Raceway Ltd.

The current Secretary, Mr T H Davis, has had a long interest in Trotting as his father-in-law, Mr T J Atkinson owner of the Cup horse Acropolis, was a member of the NZMTC and a Committeeman of the Canterbury Trotting Owners & Breeders Association. Mr Davis’ son, Mr R G Davis, has been an employee of the NZ Trotting Conference for some years and acted as Assistant Handicapper under Mr R C R Morton and is currently the Keeper of the Stud Book.



Credit: NZMTC: Historical Notes compiled by D C Parker

ROBERT McMILLAN

A fatal collision between the West Coast express and a car at Hornby was a front page story early in 1923. Added to the sensation was that Robert McMillan, the car passenger killed, owned the Santa Rosa Farm in Halswell, then the country's most successful Harness stud.

Champion stallion Harold Dillon, and horses like Great Audobon, Nelson Bingen, Brent Locanda and Petereta most of which produced at least one champion, made up the roster. They had made McMillan, who had personally selected many of them, a wealthy man. The driver of the car, severely injured, was his great friend Eugene McDermott, also of Halswell and regarded as the leading non professional horseman in the country.

Canadian-born of Scottish stock, McMillan had worked for a leading American trainer, John Blant for many years before coming to New Zealand and making his way as a trainer, ultimately at Santa Rosa on Nicholls Rd opposite the Halswell Hotel. McMillan had also struck gold when he bought Great Audobon, the first son of the legendary Peter The Great to win a trotting race in New Zealand. He also won as a pacer before siring the NZ Cup winner, Great Hope, with which McMillan won the Great Northern Derby at his first start (1921) before selling on.

McMillan struck up a close association with Etienne Le Lievre of Akaroa who stood his best stallion imports, usually selected by McMillan, at Santa Rosa. At the time of his death McMillan was described as "a real man and one ready to do a good turn to anyone who was a trier". The two Macs, McDermott being of strong Irish stock, had taken a late afternoon drive to Yaldhurst to inspect American imports based with Ben Jarden, one being the later famous stallion Jack Potts.

Soon after McMillan's burial at St Mary's church in Halswell, Santa Rosa was sold to trainer Albert Hendrikson from Templeton and it gradually lost its lustre as a commercial stud, later being used for training by Charles Cameron and others before housing took it over.

McMillan's death had exposed an embarrassing situation in his private life. In 1914, in his late 40's, he had married Madge Green, 24, who had borne him three children in four years. However the marriage broke down and McMillan was ordered by the court on his wife's petition in 1921 to restore her rights, after she was banished from the house. Great Hope's sale may have been part of the settlement because she did not appear in his will, his estate being valued at a considerable £13,000. The children had been cared for by Madge's sister, Miriam, and that apparently continued to be the case after his death. His only son, Peter, later returned to Canada and one of his two sisters died in Arizona.

Eugene Clement McDermott was the son of a professional trainer, John McDermott, originally from Doyleston but based for some years in Domain Terrace. He shifted to Junction Road in Halswell after World War 1 where the family farmed for over 80 years. Eugene, who operated as a stock dealer from an early age, and as a farmer based in Tankerville Road, was a leading trackwork rider at Addington when that was popular and a champion saddle trot race rider on horses like Vilo, Capriccio, Schnapps and Cora Dillon, all trained by his father, besides a host of outside rides. However he resisted pressure to become a professional until late in life for special reasons and never trained a big team.

After the Hornby tragedy McDermott said he would give up owning racehorses and while in later years he relented it was usually only in special cases such as the trotter Garner which he bought for £16 and won many races includig a clean sweep of the features at an Auckland Cup meeting. Ironically it was the death of another close friend, the country's leading trainer, Bill Tomkinson which propelled MsDermott back into the headlines.

Tomkinson suffered minor injuries falling from a drum securing a float door as the team left for Auckland in 1934. Sent home from hospital apparently fit and well he became seriously ill and died within days triggering the biggest Christchurch funeral of the year. The cortege procession was a mile long. McDermott, a pallbearer, had also raced gallopers with Tomkinson and his young son, Jim.

He took over driving the Tomkinson star Indianapolis that year. They won the 1934 NZ Cup but "Mac's" most memorable triumph was with the champion in an odds-on win at Addington the same year. After less than 200m before a very large Addington crowd the hot favourite broke a hopple. Normally he would have been pulled up but Indianapolis seemed to be only keener with the flapping hopple so McDermott decided to let him run for the public's money. The result was a famous hour in Addington history. Indianapolis never missed a beat. He won easily and paced the last 2400m in 3:08.8 - then two seconds inside the national record for that distance and a theoretical world record. McDermott was cheered "to the echo" by grateful punters.

In the 1937 Cup his own luck ran out when he fell from the sulky of Colonel Grattan with about 800m to run, suffering a fatal heart attack. He had told friends before the race if he was leading at that stage Colonel Grattan would win. His son, also Eugene, was taken out of school to help run the family farm.

Later a prominent owner and highly regarded administrator, he had played rugby for Canterbury in the war years. One of his sons, John, also an Addington administrator (his brother Maurice is a stalwart of Banks Peninsula) is now a licensed trainer - like both his great grandfather, 100 years ago and his grandfather. The McMillan racing tradition died that fateful day at Hornby but the McDermott legacy lives on.

Credit: David McCarthy writing in HRWeekly 1May13