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J J KENNERLEY: Top Trainer

J J KENNERLEY

It is with regret that we record the death of J J Kennerley, formerly of Christchurch, and later living in retirement in Auckland.

J J Kennerley, contrary to a general idea, was not an Australian. He was born in the Waikato, but at a early age he went to Australia with his parents.

It was in 1911 that Kennerley trained and drove his first winner, Lively Bells. Kennerley later won a Sydney Thousand with Hardy Wilkes, whom authorities still regard as one of the greatest trotters seen in Australia and NZ.

In 1914 Kennerley came to NZ, and won a race with Eminent at Addington. He returned to Australia but in 1921 he came back to NZ, and settled here. He soon became a leading trainer and at one time he had probably the best team of horses under his charge ever sheltered by the one stable in the Dominion. At that time he was private trainer to Mr J R McKenzie, who owned Great Bingen and Acron and many other good ones.

Other champions and near-champions trained by Kennerley about the same time were Peter Bingen, Native Chief, Logan Chief and Pedro Pronto.

Kennerley twice won the NZ Cup with Peter Bingen, and trained winners of five Free-For-Alls in Logan Chief, Acron (twice), Native Chief and Peter Bingen.

Credit: NZ Trotting Calendar 12Aug42