Editorial: An honour richly deserved

OPINION: New Zealand racing recognised another string of champions last week, both human and equine.

Among the human inductees to the Hall of Fame was Taranaki's John Wheeler, a man who has forged a name for himself on and off the track for more than 35 years.

His parents set the ground rules when he showed an interest in horses as a youngster; they said he could have his first pony when they deemed he was old enough to look after it. That was as a 13-year-old and he has been looking after horses with considerable care and success ever since.

Last week's honour recognised the success his horses have had on the track (see feature on page 15) but his contribution to the industry goes much deeper than that. The horses have always had him in the headlines, particularly the likes of multimillion-dollar champions such as Poetic Prince and Rough Habit. Together they amassed $8.7 million in stakes and changed the lives of those lucky enough to share in their ownership.

There are New Zealand trainers who have clocked up more individual wins than Wheeler, but it has been his deeds in Australia that have earned him such high modern-day recognition. His tally of 19 Group One wins across the Tasman has engendered great respect there from both trainers and fans alike. That's no mean feat for a Kiwi and it has been said his talents are probably more appreciated in Australia than here.

Thankfully his New Zealand peers saw fit to include him among this year's inductees.

A side to Wheeler few would appreciate is the effort he puts in away from the track. He has long been an administrator at club and national level and has an intimate knowledge of his industry. Because of that and his training successes, he is often asked to speak at racing forums and at public functions. While other celebrities charge a fee, Wheeler does it for free. His ethos is simple: Racing has been good to him and it's a way of giving something back.

It is a refreshing philosophy that some of our prima donna sportspeople might well think about next time they are asked to contribute some of their time.

Wheeler has been a remarkable ambassador for Taranaki and New Zealand as he has travelled horses through Australia, Japan and the United States. Given the challenges he has faced along the way, both professionally and personally, his place in the Racing Hall of Fame is well merited.

- © Fairfax NZ News