Gloom surrounds Ra Ora staff

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33741, 14 January 1975, Page 8

Gloom surrounds Ra Ora staff

( V Z Press Association) I HAMILTON. ) "H was • big shock. He h*« been on the phone to us three times on Saturd6y-now he*, suddenly gone." Tom Spriggins, the groom. »aid this tn H yesterday, still , shalten i . lr b ' w <Sf death of his employer, Fisher, one ot New Ze*J»nd» most successful breeders. Three fillies from Sir WoolFs stud are up for sale at , I s i weeks Waikato Yearling bale* The sale, at Claudeiands. *was halted for 3u seconds silence in tribute to bir Woolf jesterda.v j “AJd’niere was an a>r of gloom surrounding the Fis * ler . d S workers as they prepared the| first fill.'’ for sale. ‘‘lt’s always exciting when you’ve got a horse for sale and, Sir Woolf had been talking to] us on the phone during the, week-end.” Mr Spriggins said.; “Then last night about 9.30 we' got a call and were told that he was dead. “But we re goinc ahead with the sale,” he said. “He always had a love for horses and had been in the stud game for about 30 years. ! “He was a terrific fnend—you 'couldn't get a better boss, Mr.' i Spriggins said. 1

l The auctioneer, Mr Peter iKellv. described Sir ttoolf as a I brilliant man and one of th. great forces behind the breeo ling industry. “He was a man of fantasur I foresight.” Mr Kelly told th* , I scores of buyer* and breedera ■ at Sir’ * Woolf ’s first b« ■ offered at this year’* sale from , his Ra Ora Stud, Auckland. brought $2400. He has two other fillies in today’* sale.