Fast paced hobby
Successful hobby harness racing owner John Gould knows what it is like to beat the odds.
At his home in a Marlborough vineyard near Blenheim, John talks horses and harness racing and just a little bit about the broken neck that made his own set of wheels necessary.
Getting John to agree to a story was no mean feat in the first place – he prefers to operate outside the limelight and let his horses do the talking.
And talk they have. Earlier this year one of his biggest successes, Mach Banner, owned with partners, sold for more than $150,000.
That horse is already paying its new owners back in spades but John still gets a sense of pride out of watching his former horse cross the line first.
He says the money sounds big but in reality it is a matter of “selling the fast horses to pay for the slow ones.”
“Some people have fast cars or jet boats and some have high maintenance wives. I have race horses.”
He tries to get other investors involved in buying horses too and currently has an interest in about six horses, with other partners.
“I might own a leg of one and a tail of another but I am trying to bring locals into the industry.
“I am always open to bringing people into it and the more people you get involved, the merrier.”
He said the key thing for budding horse enthusiasts to remember was to be a good loser and not get too wound up when things don’t go well.
“When your horse wins you have a photo on the wall but if you lose, you still have your horse. You just have to take your wins with your losses and don’t get upset when your horse loses.
“There is nothing more exciting than being on course or watching on Trackside, your own horse winning a race.
John says a lot of people involved in race horses don’t even gamble and they found they could spend a lot less by owning a share in a horse, than by gambling on the races or lotto.
“There is more enjoyment and excitement out of owning and the memories last longer and a lot don’t bet because they can’t afford both.”
He has personally owned or had shares in about 30 winners including Ludachris, another horse that sold for good money last year.
John has had a lifetime association with horses, prompted by his father Dick Gould (alias ‘Captain’) who was a jockey in Christchurch.
John bought his first trotter when he was 22 years old and his former wife Jan Gould was a leading female driver in the central region.
At one stage John had 18 trotters and pacers and he had a race track built on his Dillons Point Rd property, near Blenheim.
John has been in a wheelchair since he broke his neck diving into the Murrumbidgee River in Wagga Wagga, Australia in 1979. He hit a submerged tree stump.
“I don’t have any hang ups about that any more and sometimes I even forget to ask people if somewhere is accessible before I turn up.”
He said now that more people were using mobility scooters around town, the issue of accessible footpaths and kerbs was being addressed.
His accident, in the days before ACC compensation, forced him to set up a video and cassette store in Queenstown to make a living.
He had been a chef prior to that and started his working life as a ladies hairdresser.
He moved to Marlborough in 1987 and set up and ran a video and cassette store for a short while in central Blenheim.
The Dillons Point Rd property is still home but the commercial value of the land means it is now used for vineyards, more than horses.
He describes himself as “more of a battler” in the industry, is a member of the Marlborough Harness Racing Club and is passionate about getting people involved in the local industry.
He heaps praise on fellow harness racing stalwarts in Marlborough including president of the Marlborough club Dean Hunter and NZ president Pat O’Brien.
“The local club here is operated very well and Pat has been a fantastic supporter of harness racing and they have kept it alive in Marlborough.”
John’s horses have continued to do well, including two second places at Waterlea (21 June, 2009) last weekend with Cardinal Huff, second at Nelson with Holiday Lover and a win with Ell Raisor at Addington.
John says he is always ready to talk to anyone interested in the industry or who wants to be a partner in a horse.
Successful hobby harness racing owner John Gould knows what it is like to beat the odds.
At his home in a Marlborough vineyard near Blenheim, John talks horses and harness racing and just a little bit about the broken neck that made his own set of wheels necessary.
Getting John to agree to a story was no mean feat in the first place – he prefers to operate outside the limelight and let his horses do the talking.
And talk they have. Earlier this year one of his biggest successes, Mach Banner, owned with partners, sold for more than $150,000.
That horse is already paying its new owners back in spades but John still gets a sense of pride out of watching his former horse cross the line first.
He says the money sounds big but in reality it is a matter of “selling the fast horses to pay for the slow ones.”
“Some people have fast cars or jet boats and some have high maintenance wives. I have race horses.”
He tries to get other investors involved in buying horses too and currently has an interest in about six horses, with other partners.
“I might own a leg of one and a tail of another but I am trying to bring locals into the industry.
“I am always open to bringing people into it and the more people you get involved, the merrier.”
He said the key thing for budding horse enthusiasts to remember was to be a good loser and not get too wound up when things don’t go well.
“When your horse wins you have a photo on the wall but if you lose, you still have your horse. You just have to take your wins with your losses and don’t get upset when your horse loses.
“There is nothing more exciting than being on course or watching on Trackside, your own horse winning a race.
John says a lot of people involved in race horses don’t even gamble and they found they could spend a lot less by owning a share in a horse, than by gambling on the races or lotto.
“There is more enjoyment and excitement out of owning and the memories last longer and a lot don’t bet because they can’t afford both.”
He has personally owned or had shares in about 30 winners including Ludachris, another horse that sold for good money last year.
John has had a lifetime association with horses, prompted by his father Dick Gould (alias ‘Captain’) who was a jockey in Christchurch.
John bought his first trotter when he was 22 years old and his former wife Jan Gould was a leading female driver in the central region.
At one stage John had 18 trotters and pacers and he had a race track built on his Dillons Point Rd property, near Blenheim.
John has been in a wheelchair since he broke his neck diving into the Murrumbidgee River in Wagga Wagga, Australia in 1979. He hit a submerged tree stump.
“I don’t have any hang ups about that any more and sometimes I even forget to ask people if somewhere is accessible before I turn up.”
He said now that more people were using mobility scooters around town, the issue of accessible footpaths and kerbs was being addressed.
His accident, in the days before ACC compensation, forced him to set up a video and cassette store in Queenstown to make a living.
He had been a chef prior to that and started his working life as a ladies hairdresser.
He moved to Marlborough in 1987 and set up and ran a video and cassette store for a short while in central Blenheim.
The Dillons Point Rd property is still home but the commercial value of the land means it is now used for vineyards, more than horses.
He describes himself as “more of a battler” in the industry, is a member of the Marlborough Harness Racing Club and is passionate about getting people involved in the local industry.
He heaps praise on fellow harness racing stalwarts in Marlborough including president of the Marlborough club Dean Hunter and NZ president Pat O’Brien.
“The local club here is operated very well and Pat has been a fantastic supporter of harness racing and they have kept it alive in Marlborough.”
John’s horses have continued to do well, including two second places at Waterlea (21 June, 2009) last weekend with Cardinal Huff, second at Nelson with Holiday Lover and a win with Ell Raisor at Addington.
John says he is always ready to talk to anyone interested in the industry or who wants to be a partner in a horse.
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