by Duane Ranger
My childhood harness racing hero – the man, who played a huge part in me becoming a trotting head – will be farewelled in a private family Service in Auckland this week.
‘Wolfie’, aka Peter Tom Wolfenden (MBE) – one of New Zealand’s greatest ever horsemen passed away on Saturday, aged 88.
When I was growing up in southern New Zealand in the 1960s Wolfie and his beloved Cardigan Bay were everywhere on biscuit tins and postage stamps.
Because of his success with the world’s first standardbred millionaire, Wolfie became a household name the world over, even appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show in the 1960s at the peak of his career.
Apart from his outstanding successes with Cardigan Bay, Wolfie won 14 New Zealand Driver’s Championships, as well as all the big races Down Under like the New Zealand Cup, the Interdominion, and the Auckland Cup.
His career record is amazing considering he only drove once a week for his 1,762 driving wins, and later in his life he gave up all of his drives for his son, Glen.
In fact Glen, said Cardigan Bay aside, one of his favourite horses was the 1981 New Zealand Cup winner, Armalight.
As for me… I watched all of Wolfie’s big races as a kid and listened to many more on the scratchy old radio. When I was a six or seven I dreamt of meeting this great man. I never thought it would happen, and then in 1999…
I not only met my childhood hero but I wrote a story on him. I was buzzing. Then I would see Wolfie every week at the track. The buzz and stories never went away.
Then I saw Wolfie for the last time at the Drury Dairy buying cigarettes. He cracked a joke and then he disappeared and became my childhood hero again.
That was the last time I saw Wolfie. He always took time out for this ‘Neville Nobody’.
I love you Wolfie. You inspired me and changed my whole direction in life. You will forever be my sporting hero alongside Sid Going and Ken Wadsworth.
Rest In Peace Great Man. Greatness has now hit heaven!
Peter is survived by his son and New Zealand’s most successful reinsman (in USA) Ross; New Zealand reinsman Glen, and daughter Julie, and Pop to Jared, Sarah, Kayla, Andrew, Riley and Great Pop to Lincoln.
‘Great’ being the appropriate word here!
Rest In Peace My Hero.
PS: The five best reinsmen I have ever witnessed in order (opinion). Tony Herlihy (MNZM) 1; Peter Wolfenden (MBE) 2; Dexter Dunn 3; Maurice Holmes 4; Angus Garrard 5.
