"I took her home and got the vet to her. It was Jack Wedderburn, who was a very good vet," Mr Bidwill said.
"The filly was being walked by a fellow who worked for me and was himself small enough to be a jockey. Jack strode towards her and she reared over backwards.
"He took one look and told me she would never make a racehorse, so that was that. It was my one and only effort at being an owner, I gave it away."
Apart from the Red Goblin incident, he was well versed in the way of horses, having ridden to school as a youngster, and the family history was steeped in racing, apart from his father Carne Bidwill who would have nothing to do with the sport.
CR Bidwill (snr) had been the first to import a thoroughbred into New Zealand, being Figaro, and his uncle William had a long involvement with the Wairarapa club and, just as importantly, planted hundreds of English trees around the racecourse. The trees have helped stamp Tauherenikau as one of the most beautiful racecourses in the country.
Euan Bidwill may not have entered the ranks of illustrious horse owners but he certainly did his bit for the club, being a steward for well over 30 years and he is a past vice-president.
He was on-course at New Year and said it was lovely to find the course and surroundings looking great and to see the huge number of people enjoying a day out.
Mr Bidwill was called on to present the Life Members 150th Jubilee Summer Cup to the connections of the winner Zimmzee. He joined as a member in the 1930s and became a life member decades later but, despite being eight years older than Joe Collins, Mr Bidwill has to concede the longest member record to his fellow Taupo resident.
Mr Collins pips him in length of service, mainly because Mr Bidwill went to war in 1939 and relinquished his membership until returning home some years later, whereas Mr Collins' service remained intact from first joining up.
His joining up was a story in itself, as he was only a youngster of 15 or 16.
"My dad was a steward and I had gone to a meeting with him.
"The club secretary, Norman Shepherd, realised there was too few members to form a quorum so he convinced my father to sign me up there and then, and the meeting went ahead."
Despite his early entry into membership, Mr Collins confesses he never became "a racing man".
His father David Collins was a wonderful sportsman, not only as a fan of racing but also as a cricketer, and was at one time captain of the New Zealand cricket team.
A story Joe Collins enjoys telling is of the days when his dad was official timekeeper at Tauherenikau, long before the electronic age.
"On this occasion, he was distracted and the field got away before he had time to push his stopwatch.
"Later, when the time was announced, there was quite a bit of talk about how fast the horses had run."
Mr Collins has not been to Tauherenikau on raceday for years, leaving club service to his son David.
As chance would have it, he is planning to come to Wairarapa around the time of the Jubilee meeting, with another son, Simon, and he said he just might be able to call in and re-acquaint himself with the course and some old mates.
The two life members have certainly enjoyed a long association off the racecourse, as both farmed near Pihautea, just across the road from each other, and independently decided to settle in Taupo after retiring.
On Waitangi Day, the jubilee celebrations will include three feature races: the Pioneer Finance Wairarapa Breeders Stakes, Farman Turkington Forestry Wairarapa Cup and the Kuripuni Sports Bar Wairarapa Racing 150th Jubilee Plate, with all three having bird cage presentations.
Racegoers will have the opportunity to look at some early photographs and other memorabilia in the kiosk during the day. After the last race there will be a mix and mingle for life members and those with a long association with the club, along with racing industry officials and dignitaries.
Group photos will be taken, there will be a couple of speeches and a cake-cutting ceremony.
