Roy Purdon has passed away

Harnesslink has been informed by the Purdon family that sadly Roy Purdon, the patriarch of the Purdon harness racing family has passed away at the age of 94.

Roy will go down as one of the greatest (if not the very best) harness racing trainers New Zealand has ever produced.

He has trained more winners and won more training premierships (21 between 1970 and 1995) than any other horseman.

He saw his first New Zealand Cup at Addington Raceway in 1937. Forty years later he trained the first of his four New Zealand Cup winners when Peter Wolfenden saluted the judge with Sole Command.

The others were Luxury Liner (1988), Christopher Vance (1991) and Chokin (1993).

Roy was awarded an MBE in 1988 and among many other awards he was also made a life member of the Auckland Trotting Club.

Harnesslink sends their condolences to the Purdon family.