Chief Stipe Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 Racing: Champion of New Zealand racing David Ellis recognised in Queen's Birthday honours 1 Jun, 2020 5:00am 4 minutes to read Te Akau principal David Ellis. Photo / Trish Dunell NZ Herald By: Michael Guerin David Ellis Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit Winning $72 at the races changed David Ellis' life forever. Ellis has become one of the most important contributors to the Australasian horse racing industry, most particularly in New Zealand, and has been made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in today's honours list for his impact on the industry. He and wife Karyn run thoroughbred racing's syndication and training behemoth Te Akau, which has more than 800 active owners and is set to win the trainers' premiership in New Zealand and Singapore this season. Te Akau are always the perennial leading buyers at the annual yearling sales at Karaka, putting millions back into the breeding industry. But that all started with $12 back in 1971. "I had never been to the races but went to Ellerslie one day with $12 and went to town after with $84 from my winnings," says Ellis. "I remember thinking, 'how great is this? This has got to be the greatest game in the world'." Ellis was 18 then, with no family background in racing, a rarity for those who rise to the top in the sport. "I am the only person in my family growing up who had any interest in horse racing or farming. Now we have Te Akau with 100 full-time staff, well over 100 horses and a farm with 2200 steers and 3000 lambs on it." While his love of horse racing was born that afternoon at Ellerslie, Te Akau was born from a different racing experience a few years later. "I had one of the first horses I owned win a race at Matamata and the trainer had to go saddle a horse up for the next race, so I went to the winners' bar to have a drink after and I thought, 'hell, this is a bit boring by myself'. It made me realise the real fun in racing would be winning with your mates and enjoying it together. So I started to buy horses and race them with friends." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 The Queen has been photographed riding in the grounds of Windsor Castle - her first public appearance since the coronavirus lockdown began. The 94-year-old monarch was pictured on a 14-year-old Fell Pony called Balmoral Fern over the weekend. She regularly rides in the grounds of Windsor, which is said to be her favourite royal residence. The Queen has been isolating there with her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, 98, and a small number of staff. Wearing a colourful headscarf and smartly dressed in a tweed jacket, jodhpurs, white gloves and boots, the Queen can be seen in the new photographs taken by the Press Association riding during the weekend's sunny weather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted May 31, 2020 Author Share Posted May 31, 2020 14 minutes ago, curious said: The 94-year-old monarch was pictured on a 14-year-old Fell Pony called Balmoral Fern over the weekend. God forbid - NO HELMET! I guess the crop is in the other hand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted May 31, 2020 Share Posted May 31, 2020 13 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said: God forbid - NO HELMET! I guess the crop is in the other hand? Yip. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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