The racing fraternity is in mourning with the passing of former Wanganui Jockey Club track manager Mark "Buckles" Buckley.
The Whanganui racing fraternity has lost one of its most loyal servants with the passing of Mark Frederick (Buckles) Buckley.
Buckley, affectionately known as Buckles, lost his long battle with cancer on Tuesday, June 30, aged a young 70.
Until recent weeks, Buckley had still been active down at the Whanganui racecourse despite retiring after nearly 40 years as part of the track staff.
The former track manager was a cornerstone of the Wanganui Jockey Club, serving 39 years as a fulltime staff member (and more as a casual) excelling in turf management and was well-respected by his colleagues and peers throughout the racing industry around the country. He retired last year after saying he would work until he was 70, a goal he accomplished.
Operations manager Bret Field was saddened to lose such a good mate.
"Buckles was a very special person and had many admirable traits — he was certainly a character," Field said.
"He would always be singing and dancing and joking around and he was also a talented sporting all-rounder who loved his racing, sports and music. Professionally he had an inspirational work ethic and meticulous attention to detail. He knew every blade of grass on the tracks and picked up every little piece of rubbish he saw that was out of place.
"He worked tirelessly for us over 40 years and was an ideal employee and servant of the club. Everyone loved Buckles, he was a gentleman with a wicked sense of humour and would do anything for anyone.
"He had a real heart of gold and was the epitome of being a 'good guy'. He will be missed by all of us here at the club and all of those within the racing industry that were fortunate enough to have dealings with him. We wish [wife] Gay and his family all the very best at this difficult time and expect that he will send us a rainbow at next Friday's raceday."
In a November, 2008 interview with the Chronicle, Buckley confided that his mum and dad wanted him to get a trade behind him and initially the young Buckles complied — but not for long.
The dyed-in-the-wool horseman trained as a compositor in the publishing industry but the lure of the thoroughbreds soon beckoned.
His decision to leave the publishing industry for a life with horses was vindicated many times over in the ensuing years.
Buckley was named 2008 Stuart Tasker Memorial Personality of the Year at the Wanganui Jockey Club annual racing awards. The former amateur jockey was born a city kid in Wellington but quickly gained an affinity with horses during school holiday visits to a Taihape farm with his father Jack — just like many kids did in those days.
"I rode horses as a youngster when Dad took me to Taihape during the holidays but that's as far as it went back in those days," Buckley said in that 2008 interview.
"I never had aspirations of being a jockey, although I got interested in them later when I moved to Wanganui."
He soon buddied up with Wanganui trainers Erni and Clive Lewis. The late Erni Lewis was a well-known trainer, boasting success with horses including former Wanganui Cup winner Golden Easter and brilliant sprinter Understudy.
Clive Lewis, who has long since retired from training, fondly recalls meeting a young Buckley on the badminton courts.
"Yes I met Mark on the badminton courts and he beat me quite regularly," Lewis said.
"He came in on a few horses with us beginning with Winky and he learned to ride trackwork and then got his amateur licence. I remember when the stipes came over the assess his riding skills to become an amateur, the horse dumped him, but he got his licence. Mark was a tremendous guy and became part of our family. I'm still trying to get my head around his passing."
In those days Buckley was working with the then track manager, Jim Carsledine.
He had his first amateur raceday ride on Like A Shadow, a horse Lewis was training for a Mr Chong from Levin. They ran fifth at Manawatū.
Buckley had about 600 rides as an amateur for three wins and "heaps of placings". His first winner was Peace Seeker for Danny and Jack Walker from Tauherenikau. That was in 1985 at Awapuni.
The next year he rode Stormy Knight to win for Don Fuge and his only other winner was Kingsfield for Whanganui trainer Wayne Marshment in August 1991.
Buckley formed a close association with Wayne and Judy Marshment, riding work for the stable including star galloper Centre Crest. Many other trainers used Buckley's talents, including the late Hec Carvell.
The late Ken Cropp was another, as was the late Andy and son Scott Mora who raced Guns Of Navarone galloper Navante. The late Rita Jackson, one of the first Kiwi women to be granted a trainer's licence, was another close friend and employer of Buckley's.
But it was the friendship with the Lewis family that gave Buckley his most memorable moments, apart from his amateur wins.
"Horses like Mistral and Tip The Wink were great to ride for Clive but his best was probably Winds Of War," Buckley recalled in that 2008 interview.
"She won a lot of races and was very strong but a beautiful mare to ride work."
Buckley, however, reckoned the best horse he rode was the former group winner Axeman for the Griffin brothers at Waiuku. Axeman counted a Captain Tim Rodgers Stakes victory at Wanganui, the forerunner of the Wanganui Stakes, among his wins.
An accident in the late 1990s ended Buckley's riding career as a trackworker and amateur. Buckley was not completely lost to racing and remained assistant track manager at the Wanganui racecourse under fellow former amateur rider Bruce Bryan.
A fundraising effort by the then Wanganui Owners and Trainers Association last century started yet another industry involvement for Buckley.
The association fundraised to buy its own starting stalls to hold jumpouts at home and Buckley helped load the horses. It progressed from there for him to loading at trials and on racedays between Whanganui and New Plymouth.
New Zealand racing is filled with real characters and Buckley's 2008 award was well-deserved. His humour and easy-going nature endeared him to many over the years.
His humorous side was possibly fostered by a few of the best comics in the business in the New Zealand racing industry over the years, including Ken Cropp and the legend that was the late Jack Glengarry, who clocked many a gallop in the River City during his illustrious career.
Mark Frederick (Buckles) Buckley is survived by wife Gay. children Keiran and Bex James and grandchildren Payton, Kayla and Haylen.
The funeral service for Buckles will be held in the Eulogy Lounge, at the Whanganui
Racecourse, at 1pm on Monday, July 6.
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