Vale | Peter Wolfenden

Harnesslink is saddened to learn of the news of New Zealand harness racing icon Peter Wolfenden (MBE) and his passing yesterday at the age of 88.

Peter Wolfenden won four New Zealand Cups, six Auckland Cups and five Rowe Cups and has reined home more than 1700 winners. But it is his association with arguably New Zealand’s best known Standardbred Cardigan Bay that he will always be remembered.

Wolfenden was quoted in 2012 as saying “You never stop thinking about a good horse like ‘Cardy’. I often think about the great ride he took me on. He was the greatest horse I have had anything to do with and those memories of 50 years ago are as vivid now as what they were back then.”

In 1968 he became the world’s first pacer to earn US$1 million. Initially trained and driven by his breeder, Dave Todd from Mataura, Southland, Cardigan Bay won his first prize money in a saddle trot. After three wins, he was sold for £2,500 to Aucklanders Merv and Audrey Dean.

Under the care of Peter Wolfenden however, ‘Cardy’ as he was affectionately known began to show his true class, winning the 1962 and 1963 Auckland cups, the 1963 New Zealand Trotting Cup and the 1963 Inter Dominions. In 2012 he was still the only horse to win both these events in the same year – and this after a life-threatening injury on a trip to Perth for the 1962 Inter Dominions.

He was then taken to the United States under a racing agreement by famed reinsman Stanley Dancer, who paid US$100,000 for the eight-year-old. In America he gained superstar status, racing against the best competition. He was US Pacer of the Year in 1965 and 1968. When he retired, aged 12, with a record of 80 wins, 25 seconds and 22 thirds from 154 starts, he was given a gala farewell at New York’s famous Yonkers Raceway. In 1970 New Zealand Post issued a stamp featuring his portrait – the first time a racehorse had been so honoured.

Wolfenden’s legacy is far greater than Cardigan Bay, and his imprint on New Zealand harness racing as a complete horseman is unquestionable given his achievements around the world.

Wolfenden won the New Zealand drivers’ premiership 14 times, including eight consecutive years from 1974, and twice won the Australasian Drivers Championship. He represented New Zealand seven times in the World Drivers Championship in harness racing, placing second in 1977 and third in 1971. He had 1762 career race wins in New Zealand as a driver, and 798 as a trainer.

In the 1982 New Year Honours, Wolfenden was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to trotting.  In 1995 Wolfenden was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame, joining Maurice Holmes and later Cecil Devine as the only harness racing participants as inductees.

Some of his biggest feature wins include:

• 1984 Auckland Cup – Enterprise
• 1983 Auckland Cup – Armalight
• 1980 Rowe Cup – Special Pride
• 1979 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship – Rondel
• 1978 Auckland Cup – Sole Command
• 1977 Rowe Cup – Framalda
• 1987 New Zealand Trotting Derby – Motu Prince
• 1977 New Zealand Trotting Cup – Sole Command
• 1974 Great Northern Derby – Captain Harcourt
• 1970 New Zealand Trotting Cup – James
• 1969 Rowe Cup – Special Cash
• 1968 Rowe Cup – Special Cash
• 1966 Great Northern Derby – Governor Frost
• 1965 New Zealand Trotting Cup – Garry Dillon
• 1963 Auckland Cup – Cardigan Bay
• 1963 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship – Cardigan Bay
• 1963 New Zealand Free For All – Cardigan Bay
• 1963 New Zealand Trotting Cup- Cardigan Bay
• 1961 Auckland Cup – Cardigan Bay
• 1961 Great Northern Derby – Waitaki Hanover
• 1961 New Zealand Free For All – Cardigan Bay
• 1960 Auckland Cup – Damian
• 1960 Rowe Cup – Jewel Derby

CARDIGAN BAY 1963 NEW ZEALAND CUP REPLAY

In the coming days we look forward to sharing with you some of the stories from the senior horseman who went toe to toe with ‘Wolfy’ on the track.

Our heartfelt sympathies and thoughts are with his family and friends at this very sad time.

by Brad Reid, for Harnesslink