LIFE MEMBERS OF NZTROF

Congratulations to the Honorary Life Members of NZTROF!

AGM 2023

• Allan Fenwick (Manawatu) - see bio below

AGM 2021

• Tony Lyndon (Hawkes Bay) - see bio below
• Neil Miller (Auckland) - click for bio
• Neil Oldfield (Wanganui) - bio to come

 

LIFE MEMBERS OF REGIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

Auckland Regional Association

• Mr Neil Miller, Auckland (2021)
• Mrs B P George, Auckland
• Mrs Joan Palmer, Auckland

Waikato/BOP Regional Association

• Mrs Jenny Cowan, Cambridge

Manawatu Regional Association

• Mr Allan Fenwick, Marton (2022)
• Mr David Collins, New Plymouth
• Mr M E Griffin, Palmerston North
• Mr R S Leader, Palmerston North

Whanganui/Taranaki Regional Association

• Mr Neil Oldfield, Marton (2021)
• Mr Dave Brophy, Opunake
• Mr Ron Stanley, Opunake
• Mr James Talbot, Whanganui
• Mrs Janice Webster, Whanganui

Hawkes Bay Regional Association 

• Mr Tony Lyndon, Hastings (2021)
• Mr John Jenkins, Hastings
• Mr Peter Kitson, Napier
• Mr Dave Tuck, Havelock North

BIOS:

ALLAN FENWICK – Appointed Life Member of Manawatu Thoroughbred Racing Owners Association (2022) and Life Member of NZTROF at the 2023  NZTROF AGM

Words by Mike Collinson

On behalf of all the committee and members, I want to express a big thank you to our long serving member, Allan Fenwick. More than a simple thank you, I wish to propose that Allan Fenwick becomes a Life Member of our Association.

It really is an anomaly that he has not already achieved that status.

Allan has loved racing since his youth. He has been involved in many levels of racing administration for virtually 50 years and has contributed to thoroughbred racing locally, nationally and internationally. A long time Manawatu Racing Club member, Allan has served on that club’s committee, which in turn led to experience as a member of the Wanganui District Committee and, subsequently, that committee’s delegate on the Racing Conference (now NZTR). This led to him being elected to the Boards of the TAB an the NZ Racing Authority.

In 1992, when a Vice President at Manawatu, Allan retired from both that position and his partnership with accountants Ernst & Young to become the General Manager at Awapuni with the responsibility for the Manawatu, Feilding, Marton and the Rangitikei Racing Clubs.

The following year he was appointed Chief Executive of the NZ Racing Conference, a position he held for 12 years until his retirement at the end of 2005. During that time, he oversaw a period of reform, including the introduction of the Judicial Control Authority and a national racing bureau to manage race entries, payments and fees to trainers, owners and jockeys.

Allan has also served as a member of the International Cataloguing Standards Committee representing the Asian Racing Federation and has delivered papers to forums overseas. He still works; I suspect with some passion, with the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame, doing so since its inception and continues as a Board member. He has an eye on the future too, through his work with the Central Region Apprentice Academy and the NZ Equine Research Foundation.

There are other industry and associated organisations that Allan has said “yes” to when he has been asked to contribute. His years of contributing culminated when he was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his long service to the NZ thoroughbred industry.

I still haven’t mentioned the Manawatu Owners’ Association!

I’m uncertain of exactly when Allan became a member, but I believe he did become Secretary/Treasurer of the Manawatu Racing Owners and Trainers Association in 1974 – near enough to 50 years ago. The Association ran trials on a regular basis in those days and the taking of entries from trainers, organising the fields and typing up race books was all in a day’s work for Allan.

For the next twenty years, until he took up his leadership position at NZTR, Allan continued to serve and guide our association in his roles as Secretary, Treasurer and Delegate on the national association. Allan has, I believe, also served as President of this association.

It is rare for anyone to re-connect with grassroots membership after retiring from the top position in an industry, but that is what Allan has done. Following his retirement as NZTR CEO, our association, and of course others, benefited enormously by his re-involvement as secretary, treasurer and as our national delegate. We can all attest to his irreplaceable contribution at our meetings, his behind the scenes involvement with drafting submissions, his advocacy, his continued enthusiasm and calm leadership. Allan has become the backbone of our association.

Throughout, Allan has been fortunate that his wife, Susan, shares his love of racing and has been of great support. His three children – Matthew, Logan and Philippa – also share his love of racing and together the family has shared much in our great game.

Allan, personally, it has been an honour and pleasure to have been involved with you in many breeding and owning adventures as well as being educated in so many facets of the industry by you.

So, to reiterate; I move “that Allan Fenwick be elected as a Life Member of the Manawatu Thoroughbred Racing Owners Association”.

Mike Collinson, Committee member
30 November 2022 (for NZTROF 2023 AGM)

 

TONY LYNDON - Appointed Life Member of Hawkes Bay Thoroughbred Owners Association and NZTROF at the NZTROF 2021 AGM
Tony has been involved with the Hawkes Bay branch since 1962, joining the committee soon after. He held the role of President for several decades (1989-2020) and was the Hawkes Bay Delegate to NZTROF until 2020. He continues to contribute to the Bulletin with news from the Hawkes Bay Region. 

Originally from Hastings, he did a stint as an apprentice jockey in Auckland, becoming foreman when he got too heavy. He then moved back to Hastings to take a job as foreman for another stable, riding work for local trainers. He then became a trainer in his own right and got involved in breeding. Once married, he worked selling office equipment, alongside managing his horses and a snooker room he had purchased (with punting profits!) Next up was a spell as a stud manager in Matamata, assisted by his wife. They had three young kids by this stage; it was hard work managing everything.  

The family returned to Hastings and managed the Windsor Park Motor Camp for nearly three decades before retiring.

Tony is active in his community, having been involved previously in Kiwanis and currently in Rebus (an offshoot of Probus).

Racing is Tony’s passion and he is a member of the Hawkes Bay Jockey Club. He also served on the Hawkes Bay District Committee, who were tasked with approving or declining Trainers Licences which was subsequently done by NZTR when it took over from NZ Racing Conference.

In addition to horses Tony has trained, bred and owned in the past, including Just Tommy (a horse described as “dangerous”, he won his first race), Tony has more recently enjoyed success racing Carnaby, and has a new gelding, a half to Addictive Habit, who will hopefully be racing soon.

Tony’s grandfather was a jockey, winning his first race as a 12-year-old at Hastings. His daughter Maree is part of racing history, being a highly successful jockey and the first woman to ride in a Melbourne Cup (1987).

At the Racing Owner/Breeder Awards in 2014 Tony was awarded the Horlicks Salver for outstanding contribution to racing in Hawkes Bay; a fine achievement.

We congratulate Tony on becoming an Honorary Life Member of NZTROF at the 2021 AGM. 

NEIL OLDFIELD
Info to come