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DES PARKER

Des Parker was born in Christchurch in 1913. September is as close as he'll define it to stop the inevitable "rush of presents if I tell you the day". He went to Christ's College, leaving at 16½ in the early days of the Depression. His step-father was his first boss. He was a company secretary, as well as being secretary of the Canterbury Society of Arts and the Nurse Maude District Nursing Association. "That was all pretty interesting because I met a lot of the artists around the time; and I met Nurse Maude herself. A tremendous person," Des said.

He eventually left his father and worked at two other jobs before taking one in an accountant's office. There he stayed for two or three years when he got the opportunity to move to join the Addington clubs as a clerk late in 1938. It wasn't an avid interest in horses or racing that made him take the job; rather it was the four guineas a week, almost twice his wage before. And the actual job itself had better prospects and held more interest.

At the time Des went to Addington the assistant secretary Harold Goggin was to become the tote manager on the course. A I Rattray was the secretary and had been since the Metropolitan club was founded in the middle 1880s. When Mr Rattray died in 1941, trotting lost one of it's real characters, in Des' eyes anyway. "The average person just can't comprehend the debt trotting in general, and especially Addington, owes to him. He even put his own money into the public stand. And he set standards for people like Goggin and myself to follow. "He was a stickler for the rules; no one got away with a late nomination or acceptance, and he was fiercely loyal to his staff. He even got to the point where he was going to throw in his job if the committee sacked a particular gateman they thought had been wrong. I can see him now...bun hat, immaculately trimmed beard, huge cigar, diamond tie pin, all those things current secretaries can't afford..."

Having worked under Rattray, he was next understudy to Mr Goggin when that gentleman became secretary in 1941. Des Parker became secretary himself in 1953 and he has seen a lot of changes in trotting since then. He finds it difficult to pinpoint any change, which, in his eyes, has been detrimental to trotting. Changes for the good have been the introduction of night trotting, more racing, new forms of betting and the TAB. And in spite of earlier reservations he had, Des Parker now sees the Racing Authority as well worthwhile. I wasn't very enthusiastic for a start for I saw the Authority taking more control away from the clubs and conference. But it has done a lot of good in ironing out problems between the two codes and it has been able to provide a better communication with the Government on racing matters. Night trotting over the years has been a boon to major clubs anyway, doing a tremendous amount to help improve stakes, for instance. Anything which hasn't worked or has had an adverse effect has usually been dropped reasonably quickly."

It is because he sees the importance for clubs to retain a certain amount of independence he sees problems at this stage in the centralisation of field selection, an idea that has been proposed from time to time. "I can see there would be certain advantages in centralisation but taking away individual rights of clubs might be a disadvantage to the industry. I mean there, that those committees that currently draw up programmes and select fields would then become merely 'social' committees and as such, could rapidly lose interest in the sport."

Falling attendances have been worrying both the trotting and racing codes and Des Parker can't see any immediate solution. The closure of petrol stations at weekends and the spiralling cost of fuel must have an adverse effect on racing, he says. "People will think twice before making a long day trip to a race meeting. Sure, the dyed-in-the-wool supporter will still go, but it's those people on the fringe, those that make the difference between six or eight thousand at an ordinary meeting and 20,000 at a Cup meeting that provide the icing for the cake. The cost of transport is going to be a very, very serious problem for the industry. It'll affect trainers, owners, drivers, patrons, headaches for everyone. Administrators are going to have to do all they can to use public transport to get to the races."

However, there could be a brighter side to this gloomy situation, for Auckland and especially Christchurch tracks at least. Getting to Addington, for instance, doesn't take too much effort or fuel, and a fair proportion of those horses which race there come from training establishments within easy reach of the city. "Clubs like Greymouth, Forbury and Wellington, where in comparison there are relatively few horses trained locally, could be hardest hit.

Figures released last week show that the clubs racing at Addington struggled a bit over the last season. Des Parker says that overall, attendances have been maintained, but with more dates, there have been fewer patrons on-course, meeting by meeting. People are becoming more selective and the weather doesn't have to be very bad for them to stay at home. They know that within a fortnight, or less, there'll be another meeting on the track anyway. (The three clubs at Addington have a total of 29 permits for the year, which is a little better than one meeting a fortnight). "Those fewer people are spending more...but that's an effect of inflation. There're are not too many permits here; rather it is a case of too many permits on unfavourable dates. The Christchurch climate is never the best for any form of outdoor entertainment at night in anything other than the summer months. And the success of outdoor entertainment is dependent on the weather every time."

In his time at Addington, Des Parker has had an active part in the organisation of four Inter-Dominion carnivals taking on the major role in 1961, 1971 and the latest series here in Christchurch. Although public interest was not reflected in attendance and the club a hefty $35,000 loss on the carnival, Des Parker reckons the organisation was as good as for any of those previously. "In spite of the financial aspects, all the committees involved were happy with the Inter-Dominion. We knew we had done a good job."

Could the disappointing attendances be blamed on the good live television coverage over the earlier three nights of the meeting? "As I told Jon Neilson when interviewed by TV on the final day, television is a wonderful medium for people who want to stay at home. But the amount we received in no way compensated for the lower gates. "But it is an imponderable. Who's to say whether or not those who stayed home with their tv, bet more on the TAB?"

Over the years at Addington Des Parker has worked with many presidents of the three clubs and many committees. "Most of them I came to regard as friends, rather than employers," Des said. "Of course we have had our occasional differences, but with most, they never lasted." He has nothing but praise for the casual staff at the Raceway who had helped make Addington tick. Of the characters among them, Des probably remembers best a vet for the club for many years, Colonal Stafford. "An army man, he was. Stafford did everything by the book."

If your in a job for more than forty years, it's inevitable you have good times and bad times. Des Parker has had two bad moments and both involved fires at the course. The first was on Show Day of 1954 soon after the last race had been run. Fanned by the usual Show Day nor'wester the outside public stand containing the best public seating and bar facilities was razed. Strangely enough, the second fire took place on Show Day again, this time in 1961 in almost identical conditions. However, the last race was still to be run when fire broke out in the main public stand. Race-goers were moved out quickly and many moved to the inside of the track to watch the last event and get a close view of the most spectacular blaze in the city for years. Des remembers he got some pretty good shots of the fire himself from various points around the steward's stand. "And that was the only time I ever took my camera to the races. With the odd exception, the public responded well and it was a tribute to the police, staff and firemen that no-one was injured in the blaze." (The last race, incidentally, was won by hot favourite Cardigan Bay and Smokeaway, well-backed on-course, finshed third.) Des's heart went into his mouth too, every time there was a smash or accident on the track. "Not that you can do much about it, but you don't like anything to go wrong at all."

Of course, measured against those bad times, there have been a lot of particularly amusing moments. Unfortunately, most of those can't be published without causing "some people a lot of embarrassment..." However, Des will always remember the trouble the Navy flag party had at the closing ceremony at the last Inter-Dominion. "That was a highlight of the carnival," he says chuckling at the thought. A similar happening took place at Melbourne last year. "They had trouble getting the flag down then and people were scurrying about looking for a pocket knife or something to cut the rope with." But Des wasn't so amused when he got a phone call from an owner a few minutes before midnight one New Years Eve. "He was after some tickets for the next day's meeting...what he thought I could do about it at that time I'll never know but that would be one of the rare occasions I consider I was plain rude to anyone." Fair enough, but that was perhaps an extreme example of how club secretaries are expected to be on deck at all hours. "You make a lot of sacrifices in the job, put in long hours sometimes, have to take calls at any time. But in spite of that, you get a really good feeling, when after months of planning, a Royal meeting or an Inter-Dominion championship goes without a hitch."

Des Parker leaves Addington in the care of his successor, former racing secretary Trevor Davis, with no regrets at all about having taken the job in the first place. "Look, it's been an interesting career all through, rewarding too, giving me all kinds of opportunities...unforgettable moments like meeting Royalty several times, attending Inter-Dominions on both sides of the Tasman." And now, only recently finished all the tidying up work on the Inter-Dominion, he has spent the last few weeks "settling into retirement".

He is playing golf regularly, spending more time in the garden. "Yes, I'll be going to the races from time to time. And I'm becoming fitter than I was, too, with a lot of walking about the city," he says pointing to a belt pulled in another notch to prove his point. "It's certain, I won't vegetate. There'll always be something for me to do." His wife Dorothy is seeing a lot more of him around their Riccarton home these days. "I don't know how she'll feel about it in two or three month's time, but at the moment, I think she enjoys having me around the place..."

-o0o-

David McCarthy writing in the Press 2004

The death of Des Parker in Christchurch last week, aged 91, removed from the racing scene a man regarded as one of the most able club secretaries in the history of the sport in NZ. He was the secretary of the Addington clubs for 26 years and associated with the administration of the NZ Metropolitan club for more than 40 years.

Born in Christchurch in 1913, Des Parker commenced his career at Addington in December 1938 as a clerk under the legendary A I Rattray, who had been the driving force behind the founding of Addington Raceway in 1899 and its subsequent development into one of the finest trotting tracks in the world.

Parker worked in the totalisator payout division during the 1938 Inter-Dominion Championships at Addington - the first held in NZ - and retired after organising the 1979 Inter-Dominion Championships on the course. It was the fifth Inter-Dominion carnival at Addington he had been involved with.

Parker was appointed assistant secretary on Rattray's death in 1941. He entered the Army in March 1942, serving with the Home Forces, during which time his salary was paid by the Addington clubs. Parker assisted Harold Goggin before succeeding him in 1953. His era coincided with the salad days of racing, but they also provided many administrative challenges.

Fire destroyed the outside public stand after the last race on Show Day 1954, a nor'westerly gale carrying the fire to the nearby Showgrounds where many horse stalls were lost. Seven years later the secretary watched in stunned disbelief as another gusty nor'wester destroyed the public grandstand during the running of the NZ Free-For-All. Parker organised the details on the momentous Royal visit to Addington in 1954, and helped host subsequent visits by the Queen Mother in 1966, and the second visit of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in 1977, their first visit to a night race meeting.

Other innovations during his term of office included the inaugural night trotting meeting in November 1963 just a few weeks after the opening of the new public stand; modern infield indicators and closed-curcuit televising of dividends; converting the original incandescent track lighting to multi-vapour; the abandonment of the traditional wooden running rail which caused much controversy; the building of the present office block; and negotiations with the Ministry of Works over major alterations to the grounds to cater for the motorway. He also began the process for the buying of the lease of Addington Raceway for $1 million, one of the most astute deals the club has ever done.

When Des Parker retired in 1979 and was succeeded by his assistant of 19 years, Trevor Davies, he was made a life member of the NZ Metropolitan club as well as the Canterbury Park and New Brighton clubs - both of them racing at Addington.

Parker was an authoritarian figure and even the strongest club leaders paused before questioning his decisions. "Des was dedicated and highly efficient himself and expected others in the office to be the same. He was more interested in the administration than the racing, although he liked to have the occasional bet," recalls Tony Lye, the present racing manager at Addington who began his career there under Parker.

"We used to do huge on-course turnovers almost automatically in those pre-Trackside days without serious competition. If it dropped below $350,000, Des was quickly wanting to know why."

John Rowley, who worked under Parker for six years at Addington and later alongside him as chief executive of the NZ Trotting Conference, also remembers a blunt character who always looked after his staff. Several, such as Hazel Crosbie, were with him for many years. "I have to say that Des's blunt way of dealing with people on raceday was not what most of us believed was ideal at times," says Crosbie. "But there was no question of his loyalty to his staff."

Underneath what could be a gruff exterior, Parker had a deep affection for Addington and attended annual meetings and other functions long after his retirement. He was also a keen golfer and bridge player, taking up bowls in latter years. He was a regular at the Fendalton Probus Club meetings, but his work dominated his life.

When his last Metropolitan president, Eugene McDermott, died in 1998, Parker told the Press, "Mac was a straight shooter and you always knew where you were with him. He spoke his mind, but never held a grudge and was an outstanding administrator."

Those words rest just as easily alongside the memory of Desmond Charles Parker.

Credit: Graham Ingram writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 3Jul79

DES PARKER - NZMTC Secretary/Manager

Des Parker was associated with the Met for nearly 50 years and the Secretary/Manager from 1952 until his retirement in 1979. During that time he guided the club ably through a series of innovations and adjustments unknown in earlier eras.

He joined the Met in 1938 as a clerk under Andrew Rattray and his assistant, Harold Goggin, who succeeded Rattray in 1941 until his sudden death in 1952. Parker worked as a tote operator at the first New Zealand InterDominion in 1938 and retired at the end of organising the fifth Series held on the track, all hugely successful. During his time came several Royal visits including the most significant one by the young Queen and Duke in 1954 a test for the new Secretary which he passed with flying colours.

Major rebuilds, night trotting, the purchase of the Addington grounds previously leased, the adaption of caterers to reflect a new audience were just a few areas where he showed great competence. Few presidents had the appetite for a fight with Des Parker over some proposed change when he had reservations but few wanted to anyway. Aided by his "man's man" image he welcomed innovation but had a practical, realistic approach to his limits and woe betide the proposer, inside the office or out who had not prepared a very solid case for change.

Parker enjoyed racing but he was primarily an administrator and this gave balance to some of the more unwise proposals over the years. When he retired he was made a life member of all three clubs racing at Addington, only the second man in history to have that honour. He departed before the real start of the computer age and it would be fair to say he was the last of the great office administrators from the simpler "golden age".

Credit: David McCarthy writing in Harnessed Aug 2016

H E GOGGIN

Mr Harold Edward Goggin, who died suddenly in Christchurch last week, was secretary for the three Christchurch Trotting Clubs - NZ Metropolitan, Canterbury Park and New Brighton. Mr Goggin was 62.

A long association with trotting for Mr Goggin began when, as a lad of 14, he joined the staff of the Canterbury, Lancaster Park and Heathcote Trotting Clubs. That was in 1904. Apart from three years overseas service in World War I, Mr Goggin has always been on the staff of the Christchurch trotting clubs. He was appointed secretary on the death of Mr A I Rattray in 1941. Just prior to that he had been totalisator manager for about two years.

The smooth running of Christchurch trotting meetings was no accident - Mr Goggin was recognised throughout the Dominion as a most able secretary and a master of detail. A few years ago he inaugurated a conference of trotting club secretaries and these conferences achieved their best results when held in Christchurch.

In his younger days Mr Goggin was a top-ranking player for the Linwood Tennis Club. In later years he played bowls and for a term was president of the Fendalton Bowling Club, of which he was a foundation member. He had previously served for a short time as secretary of the Christchurch Bowling Club. Mr Goggin was a keen supporter and good friend of the Metropolitan Light Harness Sports Club and took an active part in many of its activities.

Mr Goggin contributed a number of articles on trotting to different papers and publications, including the NZ Trotting Calendar, 'The NZ Turf,' an historical review on racing, trotting and breeding as an industry, compiled by E G Sutherland, of Auckland, and 'Pillars of Harness Horsedom,' for which he wrote an appreciation of his late chief, Mr A I Rattray. He was a Past Master of the St Augustine Masonic Lodge.

The funeral was a very large one and floral tributes, numbering more than 100, came from all parts of the Dominion. The service at the graveside was conducted by the Rev L A Barnes, and the Christchurch RSA paid tribute to "a good soldier and citizen and a fine sportsman." The pall-bearers were Messrs C E Hoy (NZ Metropolitan TC), C S Peate (Canterbury Park TC), A G Jamieson (New Brighton TC), and D C Parker (assistant-secretary to Mr Goggin), and Mr H Rennie and W Buckeridge (members of the Fendalton Bowling Club). Mr Goggin is survived by his widow and their daughter, Mrs G Devore, of Wellington.



Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 17Dec52

ADDINGTON PREPARATIONS

Des Parker was working at Addington Racecourse when the Inter-Dominions were held there in 1938. He will be there again this year, but in a vastly different capacity. Forty-one years ago he was working in the tote. Today as Secretary/Manager of the NZ Metropolitan TC, he and the club's racing secretary Trevor Davis are the key men in the organisation of this years series at Addington, from March 10-24.

It will be the third series they've been been involved in together. The two previous at Addington were in 1961 and in 1971. Parker was involved, too, in a more limited way when the 1951 Inter-Dominions were held at the course. At that time he was working in the office, before being appointed secretary a couple of years later. It's because of all this previous experience the organisation is running into very few problems this time, both Parker and Davis told me last week.

Club officers and stewards had formed a special committee (all have jobs on various sub-committees) to organise the championships as long ago as 1977. It's first meeting, in July that year, "was fairly informal" involving mainly planning discussion with quite a lot of reference back to what had happened in 1971. And since then, the major committees have had up to 25 meetings. The problems encountered so far have been only of a minor nature. "In the main we have based out planning on past experience," Parker said. The biggest problem this time - "keeping on top of things" - has resulted directly from the increased number of permits for racing at Addington. From October 1, 1970 up to the time of the '71 series, there were seven meetings at Addington. This time, there will be fourteen, with only a small increase in raceway staff.

Parker has been involved full-time since January 1 with the Inter-Dominions. And a lot of the duties around the office have been re-allocated to keep Trevor Davis as free as possible as well. "It has been a matter of organising the office around the Inter-Dominions, rather than any other way," Davis said. The organising committees' working brouchers had to be constantly up-dated. The special functions list had been up-dated at least half a dozen times so far; the overall plans "the secretary's bible" about ten times. The series had involved an "extraordinary amount" of coresspondence as well, Parker said.

There had been a minor hassle earlier when the original dates, from March 3 to 17 had to be changed after an objection from the Wellington Racing Club which is down to race it's Centennial meeting at Trentham on the 17th. The organisers copped a little backlash from Australian tour operators who had already booked accommodation in Christchurch for the original dates...and had been unable to find alternative beds at the new time. "Two tours - one from Western Australia and the other from Tasmania - of eighty people each had been cancelled. Another eighty strong party from Melbourne has been cut down to twenty," Parker said. Both men agree, apart from that, the clash of dates would not have done either club any good. "In fact it probably couldn't have been worse."

The series will almost certainly be the biggest Parker and Davis have organised. It will certainly carry the highest stake money. With the Grand Final worth $125,000, total stakes could be over $350,000 depending on the number of heats necessary. At the moment the programme caters for nine pacing heats, each worth $10,000. "But on nominations, it looks as though a fourth heat will be necessary each night, and another consolation on the last," Parker said. As well, there will be trophies worth not less than $250, donated by local business houses and trotting clubs in the area, for the winners of every trotting and pacing heat. Benson & Hedges who sponsored the 1979 series in Auckland, have once again come to the party with an arrangement which extends to the next two NZ Cup meetings as well; and Air New Zealand which will sponsor the big trotters' final. Max Harvey Furnishings, Mrs Rhona Donald, Wrightson Wine & Spirits are others who have contributed to ensure the success of the meeting.

The club is hoping for anything up to 20,000 patrons on each of the three nights and the final day...and is making sure it has the facilities geared to cope. The biggest number ever on the course was an estimated 30,000 who flocked to Addington to see, as Des Parkers recalls, the 1946 or '47 NZ Cup. "We couldn't get an accurate count as all soldiers in uniform were admitted free." About 18,500 attended the Cup last year, with up to 22,000 on Show Day. The club had some major problems with the tote during the 1977 cup meeting. "But we made immediate steps then, with last year's Cup and the Inter-Dominions in mind, to explore the possiblity of improving those facilities," Parker said. As a result, there has been a huge increase in selling outlets (as well as an intensive maintenance programme), most of them in the main public stand.

And these Inter-Dominions will see another innovation for Addington, the pre-selling of reserved seats in the stand. At the moment the club is selling season tickets only, at $100 a seat (the same seat each day and including admission) in the covered stand; $35 a seat in a temporary open stand the club will build at the top of the straight. "It is new for NZ...but it's always done in Australia," Davis said. Otherwise patrons will pay $2 a night entrance, $8 for he carnival.

Before they even get on the course, race-goers will notice a difference at Addington. At present, only a matter of weeks before the big event, there is an outline of planks laid out on the ashpalt near the existing members' entrance. By the time the Inter-Dominions get under way, the area will be taken up with a new turnstile complex, the only access to the course from the three car-parking areas. Architecturally designed, it'll be a permanent feature of the course and, according to Des Parker, will incorporate automatic turnstiles similar to the very successful system used at Moonee Valley. The new facility was to provide the maximum amount of space for parking, and make for better use of staff. The construction of the Southern Motorway across land previously used for car parking had forced the club into replanning parks and entrances. With the demolition of the old Derby Lodge, more land had been made available for parking as well.

Again this year, the club has paid particular attention to security around the raceway and stabling areas. The 24-hour arrangements which caused so much good comment in 1971 will be repeated, with, if it's at all possible, even more stringent precautions. "Really, you couldn't get them more tighter than then," Parker said, recalling that one visiting trainer was barred access to his own horse until he returned to his hotel to pick up his forgotten identity card. Only then could he put his horse to bed. The incident was widely reported, even in Australia; and other owners and trainers were thankful for the service. "just ten of those top horses could be worth up to a million dollars," Davis said. "Look at Pure Steel, for instance. What would happen to him if a gate were left open? The precautions are not only to keep unauthorised people out...but just to keep a general eye on things."

While the spotlight, of course, falls mainly on the horses at the Inter-Dominions, there are a number of social functions and off-course activities associated with the racing. And this aspect of the carnival has taken up a lot of the organising committee's time. After all, both Parker and Davis agree, they organise actual racing programmes every week. They are 'a piece of cake' now. The Inter-Dominions are certainly bigger...therefore just a little more complex. They only have to worry if anything goes wrong on raceday itself. But there was a considerable amont of extraordinary planning needed to take care of the needs of the overseas guests and visiting owners and trainers. The visitors won't just be coming from across the Tasman. There'll be at least two parties from America, too - officials from the U S Trotting Association and another group from Hollywood Park and the West Coast states.

Members of the public won't be left out during these championships. Away from actual racedays, they will be able to take part in such diverse activities as an ecumenical 'Trotting Mass' at the local Catholic church in Spencer Street on March 11, a cocktail party on March 13 and the Inter-Dominion Ball at the Town Hall on March 22. As well, trials at Rangiora on March 15 will feature four stakes races, there will be a big barbecue after the Sunday trials at Motukarara on the 18th, and for those who want even more racing, there is the Methven club's meeting on March 21. The additional printing involved for all aspects of the carnival was a huge task. And so was the job of organising 'essential supplies' for the various functions.

The stakes offered and the reputation of the NZMTC in Australia had meant that hardly a horse of any worth had not nominated for the series, Parker said. The club had advertised the programme in each state and had kept in constant touch with the bodies controlling the sport in Australia. At last year's event in Melbourne, club officials had organised a promotional function for journalists, owners, trainers and other Australian officials. By the entries, this move has obviously paid off. Trevor Davis and NZ Met. Vice-President Murray Taylor followed this up with a ten-day trip late in November when they saw the connections of most of the prominent horses there.

But now, all the hard work is about to begin. The plans have been made. "It's now up to the administration staff to bring the plans to fruition," Davis said. "You can do a ton of pre-planning, get everything geared to go...but it's only in the last few weeks you know exactly who and whats coming. Then the work starts. In the final fortnight last time, both men were putting in up to sixteen hours a day, seven days a week. Parker produced his diary for that time. It showed in actual fact one week they put in 81 3/4 hours. "You have got only a certain time in which to get things done. It is no use being a day late. There would never be any racing," Davis said.

Racing there will be for sure on March 10. But after March 24, not much more for Des Parker. For then he retires, after more than forty years with the club. "Yes, it'll be my swan-song," he said. "I just hope I go out with a bang."

Credit: Graham Ingram writing in NZ Trotting Calendar 23Jan79

TREVOR DAVIES

Mr Trevor Davis, secretary-manager of the three Addington Raceway trotting clubs, is already planning for retirement. He has sold his Sumner home and bought a two-storeyed house on 5ha at West Melton. Here, next door to prominent trainer-driver Malcolm Gillum and over the road from Selwyn MP Ruth Richardson, Mr Davis will eventually pursue a style of life he's always wanted. "I've never raced or bred a horse. I'm saving that for my retirement. And I've always wanted some land. So these will be my interests when I retire in four years," he said.

Now 61, Mr Davis has been one of the senior administrators at Addington Raceway for 25 years. During this time, sharing the helm with Mr Des Parker and more recently with Mr Tony Lye, Mr Davis has been involved in many changes to the Addington Raceway complex and its organisation, and seen vast improvements in the trotting industry. "In 1960 our work was mainly tied to the actual race meeting, but it is more diverse now. We now have P Burke and Co (caterers) resident on course...the control of money is now of much greater importance...trials play a large part in our week, and as a consequence there is consistent work on the repair and maintenance of the track...and sponsorship and promotion is basically the name of the game," he said.

On the race track, he says, the changes have been just as significant. "Probably the major change has been the simplification of the handicapping system. For example, if a 4.44 horse won a two mile race, he came back 4sec to 4.40. But a horse was always in a handicapping situation, because placings brought you back to 4.43 or 4.42. This has led to the acceptance of mobile starting and the handicapping system has been tailored to that end," he said. "Another major step was the acquistion of Addington Raceway land in 1981 from the North Canterbury Hospital Board. It was held on lease till then and now we are looking at a final payment in March, 1987," he said.

Mr Davis heads a staff of 14; eight in the office and six caring for the track and grounds. One of them, newly appointed Metropolitan Trotting Club promotions officer Mr Barry Johnson, is engaged entirely on planning work for the 1987 Inter-Dominion Trotting Championships in February. With that in mind, Mr Davis will be part of the Met deputation to the 1986 Inter-Dominions, working hard to sell the carnival to all in sight. Mr Davis knows the ropes - he has been on hand at every Inter-Dominion since 1966 - six years after he left United Dairies Ltd and joined Mr Parker in the harness sport.

The youngest of four brothers and the son of a Riccarton poulterer, Mr Davis was educated at Fendalton Primary School and Christchurch Boy's High School. His academic studies between 1938 and 1941 ran a poor second to sport; playing cricket for the school second 11, and leading Bob Duff and other members from half-back in the second 15. He had a year at the freezing works before turning to the milk industry, and stayed with United Dairies for 18 years, in the end as chief clerk.

In 1967, he became racing secretary at Addington Raceway, then, on Mr Parker's retirement, was appointed secretary-manager in 1979. This involves the three trotting clubs - Metropolitan, New Brighton and Canterbury Park - and the Addington Raceway Company Ltd. Each of the clubs has three active committees, as well as a general committee, and this, he says makes it impossible to attend the lot. Mr Davis is also secretary of a new regional committee that controls the complete rostering of Jetbet staff in the area.

Thoughts of further extensions to Addington Raceway have been on a roller-coaster ride over the past five years or so. "The directors have various plans shelved some years ago because of the purchase of the property. Now we are presently having an investigation of internal finances to see just what amount the three clubs could service," he said.

Mr Davis married Betty Atkinson, whose father Tom raced Acropolis to win the Sapling Stakes and Great Northern Derby. Tom's father was a trainer and prepared his horses at Addington from a property in Durham Street. They have two children, Sandra and Bob, who is employed by the New Zealand Trotting Conference as keeper of the Stud Book, and five grandchildren.

Mr Davis used to be club captain of the High School Old Boys Football Club, and enjoys a bet as much as anyone...not that he's ever managed a coup, or even got close to one. The biggest win he recalls followed a conversation with Methven trainer Jim Nordqvist, who had been telling him how good his filly Bedlum was. He collected nearly $400 when he coupled her in a quinella with Lyndon Robert in the Timaru Nursery Stakes in 1982. Bedlum was the 10th favourite, and ran Lyndon Robert to a neck.


Credit: Mike Grainger writing in Ch-Ch Star 10 Dec 1985

TREVOR DAVIS

The death occurred last Wednesday of Trevor Davis, a highly-respected and long serving harness racing administrator.

Aged 71, Mr Davis enjoyed attending most Canterbury meetings since retiring as secretary-manager from Addington Raceway in 1989, and was at the Timaru meeting just four days earlier. He was a keen supporter of the useful pacer Luchador, which was raced by his brother-in-law, John Atkinson.

Mr Davis joined Addington Raceway in 1960 as assistant to the secretary Mr Des Parker, and took over on Mr Parker's retirement in 1979. Among the changes that occurred during the control of Mr Davis were the introduction of the Jetbet system, the construction of the new members' stand, the conversion of Raceway heating fron gas to electricity, and the computerisation of the accounts and membership lists.

He is survived by his wife Betty, daughter Sandra and son Robert, a former Keeper of the Stud Book for Harness Racing New Zealand.

Credit: NZ HRWeekly 24Jan96