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Kerre Woodham visits the people of Riverton as they prepare for the biggest ever event on Southland’s racing calendar. Alan Bishop, trainer of Barty Boy, works in the fishing industry as well as having an interest in horse training. He carries out some first aid on his horse. On Good Friday, the cross is carried to the local Riverton Unity Church by people including T.S.K. White, Co-sponsor, T.S.K. White & Mac’s Dairy 1600 also has an interest in horse racing. Kathy McInnes, Apprentice Jockey, talks about the three rides she has at the races. Cecil Beckett, Trainer, says he found Kathy in a restaurant, and took her to home to train her as a jockey.
Warrick McCallum, President, Riverton Racing Club, says the club is the grass roots of racing and should be looked after by the bigger racing clubs. The size of the purse has been restricted, and this makes it difficult for people to sustain, so they form syndicates. Jimmy Crawford, Trainer of Deiffendorffer, works at the freezing works to keep his horses. At the races, the crowd gets excited watching them head for the finishing post. After the race, Kathy says they just went too fast for her - she came in fourth.
Rose McNaughton rides for an hour and a half delivering the mail, which keeps her fit. Ross Beckett, Trainer, hopes his horse’s chances are good. Kerry King, Apprentice Jockey, gets nervous before the race. Kerry Deans says the races are some excitement for the year. Ian Coard, Coxswain, Riverton Coastguard, says most of their work is retrieving young children on life rings, surfboards etc. when kids have been left at the beach while their parents are at the races. A woodchopping competition is held, which includes an 85 year old competitor. Tom Mason, Axeman, says in the old days you knew everyone, but now you don’t. He used to compete in axe competitions in USA, and won in 1933. He says its miserable getting old. He has just got of hospital, but still attends the axe competitions.
Jill McCallum is looking for the fashion winners at race day. Kerry is the leading Southland apprentice, and the trainer talks to her before the race about tactics. Kerry comes in second. Martha Hogan, Veterinarian, is testing the horses for drugs. Gay Henderson, Trainer of Beau’s Buckle, is also a nurse at the local hospital. Brothers Syd Whyte and Gordon Whyte have lived together for 27 years, used to work at the flax mills. Gordon Whyte does tapestry, and shows them off to Kerre.
Murray ‘Mac’ Cleaver, Co-sponsor T.S.K. White & Mac’s Dairy 1600 says racing is a sport for kings, so one can be a king for the day. Mathew and Alan Toogood talk about fishing. Colin ‘The Fonz’ Saunders lives in a caravan as he got caught DIC and had to do community service, then got offered a job looking after the caravan park. He used to be in the army. He is going to Canada to catch polar bears as soon as he gets his license back. Dave Bates, Ngai Tahu, says when the whalers came they intermingled and most have Pakeha ancestry as well. As a kid he used to hunt rabbits during the depression. He has had a bad day at the races. Keith Neylon, Competition Organiser, talks about the day’s fashion entrants. Melvin ‘Spud’ Tait, Ex-trainer, Owner of Que Sera, relates the story of when he horse won, but he missed the race. Donald Tait, Trainer of Que Sera, won the race for the second time. A trainer finds his horse has been injured in a race and must be put down.
A trainer talks about how the purse in Riverton is ‘peanuts’. The fashion competition prizes are awarded. Another race is run which Kathy McInnes takes part in. She is off on a holiday to Queenstown after not taking a place in the race. Kerre and her trainer for the next six months will be training some racing horses. They have bought young stock in, and will keep some for racing and sell some.