 | |
| Location | Epsom, Albert-Eden, Auckland, New Zealand |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 36°53′33″S174°46′33″E / 36.89259°S 174.77578°E Coordinates: 36°53′33″S174°46′33″E / 36.89259°S 174.77578°E |
| President | Gilbert Myles |
The New Zealand Trotting Hall of Fame is an organization created to recognise and honour those whose achievements have enriched the New Zealand Harness racing industry.
In 1969, Noel Taylor, who was President of the Auckland Trotting Club from 1984-89, gifted $650,000 to help set up the museum.
Efforts to establish a trotting museum began in 1969 by Alby Douglas and the Auckland Trotting Club President at the time, Reg Lewis. A small tote building in the Derby area was converted into a museum and was officially opened in 1970 by Allan Highet, the Member of Parliament for Remuera.
In 1985 the museum moved to the larger totalisator building behind the Alexandra Stand, with the inclusion of a library and a section devoted to the Harness Cadet Scheme.
The current museum building was officially opened by Taylor on 19 December 1997. The Hall Of Fame had an agreement with the Auckland Trotting Club to operate there for the peppercorn rental of $1 a year, with no termination date.
Included in the collection is:
Individuals who have made major contributions to the museum include the late Les Callander, Neville Southey and Bill Moat, who worked with a small group of volunteers to develop the exhibits and to show people around the displays.
The first group of honorees were inducted in 1998. [1] The hall and museum is located at Alexandra Park in Auckland. [2] [3] [4]
The museum has transferred 1200 race meetings from film on to disk for visitors to view.
In November 2022 it was reported that the museum is set to be disestablished at Alexandra Park to make way for commercial opportunities, leaving the museum memorabilia without a home. [5] [6]
Cardigan Bay was a New Zealand harness racing pacer foaled 1 September 1956. Affectionately known as "Cardy", he was the first Standardbred to win US$1 million in prize money in North America. He was the ninth horse worldwide to win one million dollars,. Cardigan Bay won races in New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United States.
Young Quinn, a New Zealand standardbred racehorse, was successful in period where his competition in the sport of trotting was particularly strong. Foaled in 1969, he was by Young Charles out of Loyal Trick by Hal Tryax (USA). Named after Brian "Snow" Quinn, a champion New Zealand sheep shearer, he was trained and driven by the great Charles Stewart Hunter (Charlie). He was nicknamed 'Garbage' as a result of his habit of eating anything in sight, as a young horse. It was later revealed by cardiograph tests that Young Quinn's heart weighed 13 lb, only 1 lb less than that of the great racehorse Phar Lap.
The New Zealand Cup for standardbred horses, also known as either the New Zealand Trotting Cup or the New Zealand Pacing Cup is a Group One (G1) harness race held annually by the New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club at Addington Raceway in Christchurch, New Zealand.
The New Zealand Pacing Free For All is a major New Zealand harness race. It is notable as it is a Group One championship sprint race and has been won by nearly every champion pacer in New Zealand.
The Auckland Pacing Cup which is sometimes referred to as the Auckland Trotting Cup or merely the Auckland Cup is a race held at Alexandra Park in Auckland, New Zealand for Standardbred horses. It is one of the two major harness races, along with the New Zealand Cup, held in New Zealand each year for the highest grade pacers. It is a Group 1 championship race and has been won by many of the champion pacers in New Zealand.
Harness racing in New Zealand is primarily a professional sport which involves pacing and trotting competitions for Standardbred racehorses. The difference is the horse's gait or running style:
Highland Fling was a New Zealand bred Standardbred racehorse. He is notable in that he won two New Zealand Trotting Cup races, the richest harness race, and sometimes the richest horse race in New Zealand. Highland Fling was a leading performer in the years 1947 and 1948. He won the 1948 New Zealand Trotting Cup with a handicap of 60 yards.
Delightful Lady was a New Zealand Standardbred racemare.
Peter Tom Wolfenden was a New Zealand driver and trainer of Standardbred racehorses. He is most notable for his victory in the New Zealand Trotting Cup when he drove New Zealand's top pacer Cardigan Bay. He won the New Zealand drivers' premiership 14 times, including eight consecutive years from 1974, and twice won the Australasian Drivers Championship. He represented New Zealand seven times in the World Drivers Championship in harness racing, placing second in 1977 and third in 1971. He had 1762 career race wins in New Zealand as a driver, and 798 as a trainer.
Denis Donovan Nyhan or D D Nyhan, was a prominent trainer and driver of standardbred racehorses winning many of New Zealand's premier racing events.
Lordship was a New Zealand–bred Standardbred pacer. He won two New Zealand Trotting Cup races, the richest harness race, and sometimes the richest horse race in New Zealand. He won 45 races and as a leading sire, he sustained the Globe Derby sireline through his successful sons.
Anthony Grant Herlihy is a New Zealand driver and trainer of standardbred racehorses. He was associated with many champions and has been a leading driver of harness horses in New Zealand. In 2014, he was inducted into the New Zealand Trotting Hall of Fame, and he has also been inducted into the Inter Dominion Hall of Fame.
Mark Purdon is a driver and trainer of standardbred racehorses in New Zealand. He was associated with many champions and is one of the leading trainers and drivers of harness horses in New Zealand and Australasia. He was inducted into the Inter Dominion Hall of Fame.
The Inter Dominion Hall of Fame is an organization created to recognise and honour those whose achievements have enriched the world of the Harness racing industry, particularly in the Inter Dominion series. The hall of fame was created to honor the standardbred annual races of the Inter Dominion which includes the Inter Dominion Pacing Championship and the Inter Dominion Trotting Championship. The races are held in a rotating cycle in Australia and New Zealand. The 2020 race is being held in New South Wales.
John Langdon is a former driver of standardbred racehorses in New Zealand. He was associated with many champions and was a leading driver of harness horses in New Zealand.
Chokin is a New Zealand Standardbred racehorse who was notable in winning the New Zealand Trotting Cup, which is New Zealand's most prestigious horse race. Chokin is also one of the few horses to have won Harold Park Paceway's prestigious Miracle Mile Pace twice.
Horse racing in New Zealand consists of two forms:
Im Themightyquinn is an Australian champion Standardbred race horse notable for being a three time Australian Harness Horse of the Year and three time winner of the Inter Dominion. He was inducted into the Inter Dominion Hall of Fame.
Natalie Clair Rasmussen is a driver and trainer of Standardbred racehorses in Australia and New Zealand. She has been associated with many champions and is one of the leading trainers and drivers of harness horses in Australasia.
Bettor's Delight is a former champion American Standardbred race-horse and one of the World's greatest stud stallions.