Paula McCool, the secretary of the Woodville-Pahiatua Racing Club, in front of the historic public stand, built when the club began in 1883.
Paula McCool, the secretary of the Woodville-Pahiatua Racing Club, in front of the historic public stand, built when the club began in 1883.
Woodville's Paula McCool has needed plenty of staying power to research and write an in-depth history of the Woodville-Pahiatua Racing Club, uncovering more than 130 years of rich racing heritage of the club and the town.
But now, two-and-a-half years later, she's ready to close the door of the stable and send her labour of love to the printers.
When asked why, Paula said simply, "because it needed doing".
"I live across the road from the racecourse and I'm also involved with the Woodville Pioneer Museum and thought this book should have been produced years ago when the club had it's 125th anniversary.
"I decided it was time to do this before all the old photos were lost.
The Woodville Racing Club committee, December 1925
"Searching for information, I found a lot of the old photos damp, decaying and heading to the rubbish heap."
However Paula, who is the racing club secretary, said she struck gold when she found all the Woodville Racing Club's minutes intact,and the Pahiatua Racing Club's records.
"In the library, I found microfilm of the old Woodville Examiner, which started the same year as the racing club and it was wonderful looking through those old reports.
"I've discovered some fascinating information no one knows about and, at times, I felt I was in the room with those real old characters.
"Links from those early days remain today too. Sam Bolton was president from 1900 until 1933 and now his great grandson is on our current committee.
Race day at Woodville in 1905.
"Mr Bolton devoted his life to the club and his vision led the club through World War I, the flu epidemic and the 1930 slump and the Depression.
"A lot of other clubs folded then, but Woodville kept on going, it had staying power and so that's what I've called the book."
The Woodville Racing Club has been closely associated with racing in the Hawke's Bay and, although on occasions Manawatu tried to lure them away, Paula said the club always stayed loyal to the Bay.
"Brilliant trainers such as the Lowrys and WG Stead and Stuart Waddell all supported this club," she said. "After the Hawke's Bay earthquake in 1931, Woodville opened it's arms to quake refugees and the Woodville Racing Club offered Hawke's Bay trainers space for their horses."
In the early days of the club, there was just one race day, on New Year's day, with between 1500 and 2000 punters on course.
"That's the same number of people we have attend our New Year race day now," Paula said. "In those days all the Woodville shops would close and trains would bring people from Wellington and the Hawke's Bay for the big day out. And everyone dressed up."
Paula said for one very successful race meeting 8000 race books were printed.
"The club ran the tote themselves, with takings of 50,000, all in cash," she said. "In 1950, a two-day meeting took in 150,000."
Woodville horses have won all the major racing cups in New Zealand and Australia. In 1954, Golden Tan, owned by George Hartstone, won the Wellington Cup which was presented by a very young Queen Elizabeth II.
And this year is the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Melbourne Cup win by Polo Prince trained in Woodville by John Carter.
"The survival of this club is down to those early pioneers and the club's fortunes are linked with our town," Paula said.
"There have been some fabulous people involved, who've devoted their lives to this club and, at one stage, membership stood at 815, with a waiting list.
"This was a huge centre for racing and if you asked an Aucklander about Woodville, they'd likely say 'where?'
"But ask an Australian and they'd say 'where all the good horses come from'."
