The Nicoll family of Ashburton’s influence on harness racing in New Zealand over at least the first seven decades of the twentieth century; this is unrivalled in the combined fields of Administration, ownership and breeding (stallions and mares), their impact was immense. This two part article is split into sections on their background/administrators and breeding activities with the second part concentrating on their racehorse ownership.
Family members included :
- Harry (HF) Nicoll, father of a family that influenced harness racing in NZ for the better part of all of the twentieth century and head of a family dynasty that has collectively given in excess of two hundred years plus service to the Ashburton TC
- Arthur (AJ) Nicoll OBE and Gerald (GH), sons of Harry
- [Daughters Mrs D V Donaldson and Mrs Le Clerc Latter, both of Christchurch]
- Edward (EF) and LA Nicoll, brothers of Harry
- Jack (John) Nicoll (JB), nephew of Harry
- John Nicoll, son of John Nicoll
- Robyn (nee May) Nicoll, wife of John (married 1987)
Reference will be made to each of these Nicholl family members throughout this article.
Background/Administrators
Whilst something of an autocrat, Harry Frederick Nicoll was an outstanding and far sighted administrator who by the end of his career helped NZ Trotting Clubs achieve a degree of maturity. Joining the Ashburton Trotting Club in 1900 and becoming its second President (1906 – 1955), President of the NZ Trotting Conference (1922 – 1947) and President of the Ashburton County Racing Club for twenty five years (1926 – 1950).
Powerful, able and ruthless when necessary, having a practical hands on breeding and racing knowledge through his Durbar Lodge stud and known by the eau-de-nil jacket and black cap of his racing colours, without Harry Nicholl bankrolling the transport of NZ horses to the initial Inter-Dominion Championships in Perth in 1936, these Trans-Tasman encounters would possibly never have got off the ground.
Of English descent, born in 1865, Harry Nicoll spent five years with the Bank Of England before emigrating to New Zealand. Continuing in his banking career, he joined the Bank of New Zealand in Christchurch on his arrival. Promoted to Accountant at the Ashburton branch in the mid 1880’s, then as acting Manager for a period, he left to establish an Ashburton based frozen meat exporting business in partnership with his two brothers (EF and LA Nicoll).
Harry Nicoll married his first wife Anna Julianna Case in 1889, the daughter of Julien Case, the American consul in Japan, she died in 1935 and he then remarried Helen J T Riddiford in 1937 who was the widow of Mr F E Riddiford, of Masterton.
In England he played as a winger in the Pilgrim’s Association Football Club and was a member of the Bank of England Company of the Civil Service Volunteers. In his youth he was an oarsman of international standing, duties included Secretary of the Christchurch Regatta Club and captain of the Canterbury Rowing Club until he left Christchurch. He was No.3 in the Canterbury Senior Fours winners of the Christchurch Regatta in 1887 and 1888, Wellington Regatta in 1889 and of the 1889 Wanganui four-oared championship. Harry Nicoll was selected for the first NZ rowing four to visit Australia finishing second to Victoria, NSW third and Tasmania fourth.
As a local businessman Harry Nicol was a Committee member of the Ashburton TC from 1900 and in 1906 when the club was financially embarrassed, he rescued the club from bankruptcy. This successful sportsman, exporter and farmer turned the Ashburton club around.
During World War I, Harry Nicoll performed numerous functions :
- Chairman of the Ashburton County Efficiency Board and Belgian Relief Fund; Ashburton County Wheatgrower’s Board and United Wheatgrowers’ Association
- Director of the Wheat Marketing Agency
- Member of the Wheat Committee; Lyttelton Harbour Board and chair of the Finance Committee
In 1919 as President Harry Nicoll persuaded the Ashburton TC Committee to launch the NZ Sapling Stakes, not the earliest two year old pacing event in NZ but initially the most important feature juvenile event. Mrs HF Nicoll presented a blue ribbon to the winner of the inaugural running of the Sapling Stakes.
On the national scene Harry Nicol spent many years as a member of the NZ Trotting Association before serving a term as its Vice President. At the 1922 Annual Conference he upset famed Aucklander John (JR) Rowe who was shocked and surprised at being removed from the Chairmanship of the NZ Trotting Association. Nicoll went on to win every election thereafter until his retirement in 1947.
Among the many notable achievements of Nicoll’s reign were :
- instrumental in carrying the rule through the NZ Trotting Conference which made the standing start compulsory in all races; mainly responsible for the institution of the present yards handicapping system (which replaced the countdown system of seconds as this often resulted in horses anticipating the start and being disqualified), this was one of the greatest progressive moves in the history of the sport. In 1913 Nicoll said “careful consideration must be given as to whether the starting system should be yards, or revert to the earlier method of slower moving or standing starts”. The following year he spoke again on starting methods, stating he thought class racing and a yards system would be the answer.
In 1921 John Rowe in his presidential address to the Trotting Conference delegates referred to a notice of motion in the order paper “that in view of the larger fields, the yards system of handicapping be introduced throughout New Zealand”. Rowe stated that it was becoming a physical impossibility for starters to see that all horses got away to their various bells with the time system. The motion was defeated 15 to 11.
Harry Nicoll kept pushing for the yards systems introduction with strong support from the Auckland clubs while the Christchurch and West Coast clubs favoured preservation of the second’s system arguing that the standing start made it too difficult for back markers. Within a few years class racing and the yards starting system had been universally adopted by all clubs
- originator of the motion to secure more days’ racing for trotting, which was taken up by the Massey Government (1912 – 1925) and passed by the House
- primarily responsible for the introduction of the control of trotting meetings by stipendiary stewards (1 March 1946)
- work in the classic races field ranks as an outstanding achievement – for Ashburton TC, Sapling/Champion/Futurity and All Aged Stakes
- together with West Australian John (JP) Stratton deserves considerable credit for establishing the Interdominion Trotting Championships
- Dr Pezaro’s (Auckland TC) proposal to ease easing handicapping restrictions for less able horses winning small stakes was defeated at Conference when Nicoll asked delegates “Do you want horses to win with no penalty?” which gained a resounding “No” from the floor even though that was not actually what Pezaro was proposing
- Nicoll was heavily critical when the Government cut season permits by 50 per cent in 1942 but toed the line with his company giving its four cars to the war effort
By 1931 Harry Nicoll had been made an honorary member of every trotting club in New Zealand and later became President of the Australasian Trotting Association.
On completion of twenty one year’s service as Trotting Conference President, Harry Nicoll was the trotting clubs guest at a complimentary dinner in Christchurch on August 6, 1943. Glowing tributes paid to Harry Nicoll included that of the then editor of the Star-Sun, Mr A G Henderson, who wrote: “Mr Nicoll has been a wise, tactful and courageous leader. Perhaps during the evening some speaker will recall that amongst the men who laid so securely the foundations of the modern sport, there was one striking group of big men. All standing well over six feet – Prime Canterbury – who showed enterprise, faith and determination and who backed their belief that trotting could and should be as popular a sport as galloping. Canterbury owes it’s leadership in trotting in no small measure to these men, Mr Nicoll himself, Mr Jim Williams, Mr Frank Graham, Mr Cecil Ollivier and Mr J C Clarkson. They and those associated with them, held that good prize money would bring good horses and that a rigid code of conduct and good management of race meetings would win the support of the public. I have watched the progress of the sport with a critical eye since 1896 and know how thoroughly Mr Nicoll has deserved the thanks and praise of all good and true lovers of trotting.”
Harry Nicoll was again honoured by trotting clubs at a dinner in Christchurch on his retirement in 1947, the golden jubilee year of the Trotting Conference. Harry Nicoll had been President for half of this period with five Presidents preceding him. Allan Matson said that the energy, tact and manner in which he carried out his duties as President were an inspiration to all chairmen throughout the Dominion.
Ribbonwood writing in the NZ Trotting Calendar (20 April 1955; extracts from Karl Scott’s “Pillars of Harness Horsedom”) related :
- that the Chairman of the evening Allan (AL) Matson who succeeded Harry Nicoll as President of the Trotting Conference said “Mr Nicoll is one of the Dominion’s outstanding personalities. As a chairman and president he always exhibited that spark of genius. I have often accepted his judgement even though I thought he was wrong; but he never erred. His control of meetings has shown him to be a master. He has a quick brain, and his control has been an inspiration.”
- John (JB) Thompson, President of the old NZ Trotting Association (absorbed into NZ Trotting Conference in 1950) referred to Harry Nicoll as the “Caesar of trotting in NZ” that whenever Mr Nicoll had any ideas that would be of benefit to trotting, he always carried them through to their consummation
- Charles (CS) Thomas, then President of NZ Metropolitan TC, said due to his unique position in trotting, some people thought that Mr Nicoll had invented the sport
- Ernst (EA) Lee, President of the New Brighton Trotting Club and member of the board of the NZ Trotting Association, said that too often we reserved all the nice things we had to say about people until they were not there to enjoy them. “We should not regret Mr Nicoll’s retirement,” he said. “Rather we should regard it as promotion. His work will stand as a monument for generations. His dominating thought has always been the welfare of trotting.”
In reply Harry Nicoll said “Trotting has occupied a considerable portion of my life. This parting will leave a gap it will be impossible to fill. I have enjoyed many valued friendships, and I feel proud of the good feeling that exists in every part of the Dominion where trotting flourishes. It was in 1905 that I was first persuaded to become an administrator of trotting. I was elected president of the Ashburton Trotting Club at a time when the club was £80 in debt, when it had no assets, and just after its secretary had departed suddenly. I could see what great possibilities there were in trotting, and I am grateful to say my confidence in the sport has been borne out with great abundance.” Mr Nicoll referred to the trainers of his horses in past years, the late Andy Pringle and Don Warren, and concluded by expressing his love for trotting and the pride he felt in its advancement.
Harry Nicoll died in Christchurch on 18 April 1955 in his ninetieth year.
Arthur John Nicoll, OBE was one of Harry Nicolls two sons, the other being Gerald. Arthur succeeded his father Harry as President of the Ashburton TC in 1955 (third club President, 1955 -1964) after having served as joint Vice President to his father from 1951. Earlier Arthur had been a steward of the club for twenty nine years (1922 – 1951). He took over the reins as President of the NZ Trotting Conference from 1965 – 1969.
Born on 2 February 1900, Arthur Nicoll was fortunate enough to see his father’s NZ Cup win with Durbar in 1908. Himself a major trotting owner, horseman, breeder and administrator for whom harness racing dominated his life, he received an OBE (Order British Empire) for services to trotting.
A lifetime resident of Ashburton, Arthur Nicoll followed closely in his father Harry’s footsteps. As a teenager he pursued a passion for speed, racing under an assumed name at the local speedway as his parents did not approve of the motor sport. This passion remained throughout his life as indicated by his love of the horse and cars where it is said he accumulated many speeding tickets.
Arthur worked for his father in the early years breeding a few horses that raced in his colours and undertaking some race driving with insufficient success to be a topliner.
In 1927 the NZ Trotting Association asked Arthur Nicoll to proceed to Sydney to identify a trotting mare suspected of being a ”ring in”. Well known Australian trainer Peter Riddle who raced many good horses in NZ had seen this mare, known as Gathered Gold, race with considerable success in Perth. Due to her distinctive colouring around the mouth, he thought she was a Logan Pointer mare and suspecting she may be a “ring in” reported this to the authorities who placed it in the hands of the Sydney police.
Previously Harry Nicol had sold his good mare Promenade (Logan Pointer/Queens Drive, 2:09.4) to a North Island buyer who shipped her to Australia. Arthur Nicoll went to the Sydney Police Barracks where some 160 horses were stabled in stalls. Arthur recognised the mare as Promenade and the prosecution in the ensuing court case asked him how he had recognised the mare. Nicoll replied “I recognised her as I would again recognise you. I knew her”.
In 1932 he and brother Gerald went into partnership to form Durbar Lodge Ltd (full details under Horse Ownership and Breeding sections).
Arthur Nicoll gave service in the Second World War as commanding officer of the NZ Expeditionary Force’s (NZEF) Divisional Cavalry in the Middle East holding the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. His long and loyal service to the Army saw him awarded a rare Territorial honour, the ED for efficiency. Later a life member of the Returned Services Association (RSA) of which he was President from 1951 to 1955.
As an administrator Arthur Nicoll joined the committee of the Ashburton TC in 1922, retaining positions until stepping down forty three years later in 1965. He had been voted onto the NZ Trotting Conference executive in 1955, the same year he was elected President of the Ashburton Trotting Club when his father passed away. Arthur Nicoll was President for the next nine years.
In January 1965 he was appointed South Island Vice President of the NZ Trotting Conference while later in May on the death of W E Desmond he took over as President, retiring after the 1969 Annual Conference having spent four years in a position his father Harry had occupied for twenty five years. During his time as President, Arthur Nicoll had :
- served on the committee of the Totalisator Agency Board with two twelve month periods as chairman
- overseen the introduction of TAB concession doubles and betting on overseas races
- been prominent on the Inter-Dominion Trotting Council
- seen freeze branding introduced as official means of identifying NZ Standardbreds
Aside from his harness racing interests, Arthur Nicoll was a keen amateur photographer including being a judge for photographic competitions.
Arthur Nicoll died in Ashburton in mid-September 1979 in his eightieth year survived by his wife Christina and daughter Diana, Mrs Alan Wilks of Wellington.
Gerald Harry Nicoll, born 14 February 1902, died 1978; served as Ashburton TC committee member 1940 – 1965
Edward Frank Nicoll, died 1957, aged 85 years; served as Ashburton TC Committee member 1922 – 1944
John (Jack) Nicoll, Secretary Ashburton Racing and Trotting Clubs 1926 – 1976, fifty year period longest for NZ harness racing clubs (1940, joined Armed Forces and in his absence of 3½yrs [1940 – 1944], Ernie Easterbrook took on the duties of acting secretary
Note – during period 1940 – 1944, there were five Nicolls serving in one capacity or the other for the Ashburton TC – Harry (President), Arthur (Vice President), Gerard and Edward, Committee members and Jack (Secretary, before and after war service).
John Nicoll, Secretary Kurow TC (1954 – 1961) and Methven TC 1961 – until 1974 when Trevor Robertson (Ashburton TC Secretary) took over
Robynne Nicoll, Ashburton TC Committee member from 1983 until 1994. Only the second woman elected to the Ashburton committee. N.B : Helen Pope, first woman President of the club, second in NZ; first female on Board of Harness Racing NZ; MNZM [NZ Order of Merit in 2014 for over forty years’ service to harness racing]). Robynne Nicoll replaced Bob Burnett following his death having been the highest polling unsuccessful candidate in 1983/4 election.
Robynne Nicoll is the daughter of Ron May, an amateur trainer domiciled in Methven (no relation to family of Clarry, Terry, Ricky). Training the winners of seven races during his career including Hialea, winner of four trotting races in the mid 1960’s at Reefton (2), Ashburton and Hororata driven by Bob Young and Boyden Royal in mid/late 1980’s (three wins : Motukarara/dr Patrick O’Reilly jnr; Addington (two) dr Leo O’Reilly). Robynne was born in Methven and went to school with Kerry O’Reilly and Maurice McKendry.
Robynne became secretary to Tim Morton, keeper of the NZ Trotting Stud Book and handicapper at the NZ Trotting Conference. Later as secretary to the director of operations at Standardbred Canada, accorded a work permit in Canada due to her expertise with freeze branding on the neck (Canada branded the lip). Robynne married John Nicoll in 1987.
Breeding
There is considerable crossover when discussing the breeding and racehorse ownership of the Nicolls. Discussion of individual horses covered briefly below are likely to be covered more fully under part two of this article – Racehorse Ownership.
Durbar Stud was formed and owned by Harry Nicoll, experienced in breeding matters producing and racing many fine racehorses. Named after his 1908 NZ Cup winner Durbar, the property consisted of 256 acres established in 1913 at Wakanui, Ashburton County (previous property at Mitcham Road). Nicoll’s Durbar Lodge near Ashburton was the leading stable with the renowned Andy Pringle as his private trainer. Becoming at one stage the most powerful breeding and racing stable of classic horses in the country.
Harry Nicoll was a trader who wanted his stable to pay its way and some of the best Durbar Lodge products won fame in other colours most notably Indianapolis. He sold the distinguished Wrack at age 21 to Tasmanian Edgar Tatlow, which caused much comment about loyalty for services rendered.
Originally importing Wrack (Peter The Great/Colorado Belle) from America in 1924 (foaled in Pennsylvania in 1917). A free-legged pacer, Wrack, was by the world’s leading sire Peter The Great and the first genuine Grand Circuit horse (spent three years on Grand Circuit) to come to NZ. He paced 2.02.4 in Ohio shortly before his arrival – faster than later pacing super sire Hal Dale. Nicoll charged 40 guineas a service, a fee not matched for over 25 years and one Wrack could not sustain. History records he was a great success but for a time he was rejected by breeders until trainers like Bill Tomkinson, Don Warren and Roy Berry realised they did not handle high speed work and the tide was turned.
Nicoll was no sentimentalist selling a lot of his horses during the Depression including Wrackler, and filly freak Arethusa, which were both retained by his son, Arthur. He sold his boom youngster, Indianapolis, Wrack’s greatest son, knowing what he might become. In 1938 after Wrack had served 72 mares Nicoll sold him to Tasmania, where after standing a season there he was purchased by Ray Lawlor for Windsor Stud, NSW, where Wrack died in 1939 without siring another foal. It was a finale which did not sit well with many sportsmen in NZ.
Many of Wrack’s winners and a steady supply of Durbar Lodge stock purchased by George Barton were sired by Wrack e.g. Indianapolis, Bitter Sweet, Bracken, Tempest, Wrecker, Cloudy Range. Wrack sired five NZ Cup winners Wrackler, Indianapolis (3), Bronze Eagle; three Dominion Hcp Trot winners Wrackler, Sea Gift, Peggotty; five NZ Derby winners Wrackler, Arethusa, Ciro, Aldershot, Imperial Jade.
Wrack also sired Chatmos, Ochiltree, Toorak, Reporter, Probationer, Braw Lass plus trotters Gerfalcon (NZ Trotting Championship), Discord, Lament (NZ Trotting Championship twice), Nicoya (runner up Dominion Hcp), Sea Gift (Dominion Hcp, two mile record holder, beat pacers at Forbury, dam of Sandan), Within, Steel King (NZ Trotting FFA), White Satin (three year record holder), First Wrack (smart juvenile and aged trotter).
Leading sire (stakes) 1932/3, 1933/4, 1934/5 [second or third following eight seasons] and leading Broodmare sire on a winner’s basis 1946/7 – 1948/9 and on a stakes basis 1950/1. In total Wrack left 173 individual winners for stakes of around £220,000 in New Zealand alone.
Broodmare credits included Vedette (ID Pacing Final, NZFFA), Acclamation/Fair Isle/Recruit (Dominion Hcp), Turco (NZFFA)/ID Pacers Consolation), Perpetua (NZ Oaks), Indomitable/Recruit twice/Rewa Scott/Fair Isle/Scotleigh (Rowe Cup), Bruce Hall (ID Pacers Consolation), Recruit (NZ Trotting FFA twice).
Harry Nicoll posed a controversial figure with not only selling Wrack but as President of the NZ Trotting Conference was benign in taking action when his horse Arethusa driven by Maurice Holmes knocked down half the field in the New Zealand Derby. Holmes was given a suspension which ended the day before he was to drive her in the Northern Derby. “The judicial decision” raged the Truth newspaper, “could not have been more ridiculous had it decreed that in future Holmes was allowed to carry a sawn off shotgun to assist him bringing down what he desired.” The decision intimated anybody else’s horse would have been disqualified.
Harry Nicoll disposed of Durbar Lodge in 1932 with his son’s Arthur and Gerald forming a partnership named Durbar Lodge Ltd to continue the breeding establishment. The partnership was dissolved in 1937, when Arthur took over the operation by himself. Durbar Lodge was leased for agriculture during WWII before being returned to horses until Arthur sold it in 1960 and moved into Ashburton township.
Next Time : Racehorse ownership of Nicolls.
Peter Craig
23 September 2020
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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