Monday 22nd June 2015
Highly respected industry stalwart Eric Hando passed away on Friday at the age of 95. Mr Hando was inducted as a ‘Living Legend’ of harness racing in 2004 and spent many years running the successful Peak Hill breeding operation Rosewood Stud.
The Hando family originally settled in Peak Hill in the 1890s and it was Eric’s father, William, who identified the value of stallions with Globe Derby blood. Rosewood Stud stood a number sires including Revlis Peak, Lucky Western, Peak Hill, Silver Peak and Dual Peak and is recognised as the oldest standardbred stud still in operation in Australia.
Eric bred the well performed mare Scotirra, a heat winner of the 1966 Inter Dominion at Harold Park. The daughter of Scottish Brigade won the Spring Carnival Handicap in 1963 and went on to win the Spring Cup twice (1965, 1966).
In the 1970s Rosewood Stud imported stallions such as Sheer Genius, Quick Return and Tarport Bill as buyers moved away from locally bred sires. Tarport Bill sired the winners of the NSW Derby and NSW Oaks in 1981 with Bondi Bill and Gloomy Lass taking out the respective races, a remarkable feat for a NSW based stallion.
The Hando family was named the Bathurst Gold Crown Honourees in 2012 following their significant support of the rich juvenile series since its inception.
Eric is survived by his wife of 70 years Dorothy. The couple met at the Peak Hill picture theatre and were later married at St Stephens Church, Peak Hill in 1945. They travelled to Parkes and had their first night of their honeymoon at the Broadway Hotel. They then caught the train to Sydney for a honeymoon of a few days. However Eric’s father contacted him to say it was raining at home and he could stay a little longer.
Eric and Dorothy had three children, eight grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.
Eric Hando’s funeral will be held at St Stephens, Peak Hill on Friday June 26 at 11am.
Harness Racing New South Wales extends its deepest sympathies to the Hando family and believe Eric’s influence on the sport will never be forgotten.