Last time past the post
Amanawatu jockey and horse trainer, who won more than 350 races, has taken his final ride.
John Harris died at a Palmerston North rest home on May 16. He was 89.
Affectionately known as Jock, Harris grew up in New Plymouth before leaving school at 15 to become a jockey at Palmerston North racetrack Awapuni.
His oldest three sons, John, Des and Noel, were all leading apprentice jockeys, topping the New Zealand apprentice table for six years from 1967.
He had three other children, Peter, Karen and Jenny.
Renowned for wearing a bow tie, Harris proudly followed the fortunes of his family and enjoyed their success.
One such occasion was 30 years ago when his family gathered to celebrate his 60th birthday in 1990.
That year, Noel and John combined as jockey and trainer to win the Group One Sydney Cup (3200m) with King Aussie.
Noel also recorded his 1000th win in New Zealand.
Celebrations turned to mourning a few days later, when Harris’ wife, Daphne, died.
Harris had retired from training a couple of years earlier, drawing the curtain on a 45-year career.
Harris started his apprenticeship in 1945, and he racked up his first victory two years later, in his 26th ride, aboard Blank Cheque at Hastings in April 1947.
In his career, Harris kicked home 367 winners, across jumping and flat tracks.
In 1955, he finished secondequal to Bob Skelton on the New Zealand Jockeys’ Premiership.
A tactical rider, the highlight of Harris’ jumping success was winning on Aligarh in the 1955 Wellington Steeplechase.
His son Peter won the same race 26 years later.
Harris retired from riding at Awapuni on Boxing Day 1959, and took a brief hiatus from racing.
He became an auction mart, then a labourer, before taking up harness racing.
He shifted to Cambridge, but, after four months, he was told there was little money as a trotting driver in those days with so many owner-trainers driving.
He returned to Palmerston North and began his training career.
Harris trained alongside his son, John, for four seasons, and together they won 54 races.
His last season training was at Awapuni, with his other son, Des.
Harris retired in 1988, with 304 wins.
He enjoyed success as a part-owner of Go Bush, who was trained by John and won 16 races.
Harris went down in history as a co-founder and the first president of the New Zealand Trainers’ Association.
He was honoured for his lifetime racing achievements at the Otaki-maori Racing Club’s meeting in February 2009. He was also a regular at the Jumps Jockeys’ reunions.