BLAST FROM THE PAST
ROYDON LODGE - Premier Nursery
 ROYDON LODGE
When you start following a hobby there's no telling where it will lead you. Sir John McKenzie started breeding and training horses as a hobby; to-day he is the owner of one of the largest and most successful stud and racing establishments in Australasia.
Roydon Lodge, his 190-acre property at Yaldhurst, Christchurch, is a byword among members of the New Zealand trotting and pacing fraternity. Sir John himself is a well-known figure in light harness racing on both sides of the Tasman. Sir John's devotion to his hobby has never flagged, and his untiring personal interest is one of the biggest factors in the Lodge's continuing success. Surprisingly active for his age, Sir John is able to indulge his affection for horses in a practical way: he breaks in and gaits most of the yearlings himself. It is a tribute to his patience and thoroughness that there is rarely any trouble when he is on the job.
Established in 1927, Roydon Lodge laid the foundation for the breeding of such horses as (to mention a few): Certissimus, Commander Scott, Scottish Emperor, Arial Scott, Real Scott and In The Mood.
Training at Roydon Lodge is in the capable hands of George Noble, who came to New Zealand from Sydney in 1940. To his qualifications as a leading trotting trainer, George can add an expert knowledge of shoeing. He has designed special shoes for a number of well-known performers, including the celebrated Fantom, whose victories, it is said, would never have been possible without his expert attention. When he left Sydney for Roydon Lodge, George brought with him the mare White Globe (Globe Derby-Lee White), who just prior to the Tasman crossing, had taken an Australasian mile trotting record of 2.08 at Harold Park, Sydney. A daughter of White Globe by U Scott later raced as Roydon Derby, showing exceptional promise by winning twice in her first three starts, but being forced to retire because of soreness.
Farm management at Roydon Lodge is the responsibility of Mr Jack Clarke, better known as NZ marathon champion and third place-getter in the recent Empire Games. Some idea of the big job Jack has to do can be gained from the fact that in one year the 190 acres of Roydon Lodge have to support between 200 and 300 mares. It takes something like 1800 bags of chaff, 1450 bales of hay, 600 sacks of oats and 500 bales of straw to provide the yearly requirements of all the mares, racing horses, stud horses, foals and yearlings.
Besides the routine farm work of tending pastures and crops, repairing fences, etc., Jack Clarke shares with George Noble the task of keeping the training track in good order and repair. This is an important job, and, in the summer time, an exacting one. Hot weather brings the notorious Canterbury 'nor'-wester,' which scoops up loose soil surfaces, and to stop parts of the track being spirited away it must be watered every night. The Lodge has its own water supply for this job, and spraying is carried out by a mobile sprinkler tank towed behind a tractor. In addition, the track must be harrowed every morning.
The inner needs of the men at the Lodge are capably catered for by Mrs Clarke, whose prowess at the stove is highly thought of by her seven charges. They descibe her as the perfect 'mother,' to whom nothing is a bother.
The day's work around the stables begins at 5.45am. The horses are fed and all gear made ready before breakfast, and the remainder of the morning is taken up with the working of 16 or 17 horses. After the midday meal the horses are put out in the paddocks and the cleaning of gear and carts is attended to, then, at four o'clock the horses are brought in again for dressing and feeding. The stable day concludes at about 7pm, when the horses are given their hay.
On the stud side of the business, the day commences at the same time, feeding, etc being carried out before breakfast. After breakfast, Sandy Stewart takes Light Brigade for a jog and stud assistant Stan Tunstall attends to the turning out of the stallions. The rest of the day is employed in the yearlings that are being broken in or handled under Sir John's guidence. At four o'clock the stallions are brought in and dressed and fed, and with the distribution of hay at seven o'clock the day is completed.
A commendable feature of the work at Roydon Lodge is the encouragement given to youthful drivers by both Sir John McKenzie and Gearge Noble. On the Lodge's well-kept track the young men are given every opportunity to absorb and put into practice those finer points of driving that are essential to a successful career in light harness racing. This far-sighted policy has already borne fruit in the achievements of the two youngsters, Jack Crofts (head lad and the Lodge's second driver) and 19-year-old Murray Andrews (who was formerly with Mr J S Shaw, of Beaumaris fame). Jack Crofts has run up quite an impressive list of victories and minor placings, and Murray Andrews scored with his very first drive - Spring Fancy, at Blenheim in January. To show it was no fluke, Murray secured a second placing at his third drive, and a quiet tip from Roydon Lodge is that much bigger things are expected of the young Mr Andrews.
Roydon Lodge is well known in Christchurch as the venue of trotting matinees staged by Sir John McKenzie for the benefit of charity. For these events a proper race book is issued, and the programme follows a pattern something like this: 2.15pm Parade of Yearlings; 2.30 Parade of Broodmares with Foals; 2.45 Three and Four Year Old Handicap Pace(1 1/4 miles); 3.00 Parade of Stallions; 3.30 Afternoon Tea; 3.45 Novelty Event; 4.00 High Class Pacers' Handicap(1 1/2 miles); 4.15 Novelty Event. The first matinee meeting was held in October, 1946, when Royal Worthy, driven by Free Holmes(snr) trotted the mile in 2.10. It is interesting to note that Johnny Globe, this year's champion three-year-old, had his first win at one of these matinee meetings, as a two-year-old.
Stallions imported by Roydon Lodge include: Llewellyn, Peter Chenault, Silk Tread, Arion Airworthy, Gallant Knight, Winthrop, Spencer Volo, Worthy Bingen, U Scott and Light Brigade. Imported mares include: Loretta Napoleon, Addie Guy, Belle Keller, Dolores, Flora Volo, Miss Worth, Nulgeria, Real The Great, Stepfast, Lady Worth, Air Flow, Taka Chance, Widow Volo, Esprit, New Fancy and Splangled Maiden.
U Scott is by Scotland(1.59¼), who sired Rosalind, world champion trotting mare(1.56¾). Rosalind's earnings reached $67,000. Scotland was also the sire of Spencer Scott(1.57¼) one-time world champion trotting stallion.
Light Brigade is by Volomite, world's leading light harness sire, out of Spinster, close relation to Hoot Mon, 1947 Hambletonian Stakes winner, and Miss Tully(2.01 2/5), also Hambletonian Stakes winner. Light Brigade has sired Vedette, Soangetaha, Red Emperor, Two Step and many others.
Spangled Maiden (Volomite-Margaret Spangler) is a sister to four champions: Chief Counsel(1.57¾), King's Counsel (1.58), Blackstone(1.59½) and Attorney(2.03). A young full brother to Spangled Maiden was sold as a yearling for $35,000.
Air Flow is by Guy Day(2.04¼), who stands at Walnut Hall Farm, the same stud as Scotland and Volomite. Air Flow is the dam of Aerial Scott, NZ champion trotting money-winner, Red Emperor, Flight Commander, Scottish Air and Risingholme.
Widow Volo(2.06¾), by Peter Volo, is the dam of Noble Scott, now in Australia. (U Scott was the sire). Noble Scott sired one of NZ's leading horses - Real Scott.
With such impressive stock as this, Roydon Lodge has been able to write some notable chapters into NZ trotting and pacing history. Under the wise guidance of its founder, Sir John McKenzie, the Lodge will no doubt add much more to what has already been written.
Credit: N Z Hoof Beats Vol 2 No.4
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